Let it Rock
by PrincessT123
Summary: Because when I arrive, I'll bring the fire. Hinata has two gifts: One she has an amazing voice. Two she can sense dead bodies. Summer band camp, romance, and a serial killer. Go to my profile for the full summary.
1. Chapter 1

~Let it Rock

**A/N ** Hi guys :) I know I haven't finished Frostbite yet, but I promise I will. I guess I was just in the mood to write something happier, and both Frostbite and School Never Ends are bumming me out with their melodramatic dreariness. So, let's start this and hope you all enjoy :)

~_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

She was a good looking girl; blonde hair, green eyes and a top-model body. She was the captain of the swim team, so he heard, and was the fastest swimmer in the entire school county. He always liked the talented ones. But there was something about her that he didn't like. Was it her crooked, narrow nose that stuck out like a bird's beak? The silver hoop that pierced her lip and taunted him with every word she spoke? Or was it the fact that she had a boyfriend?

Yeah. That was it.

He stared at her for a moment longer, watching closely as she slipped a folded sheet of paper into her boyfriend's pocket. His eyes narrowed slightly before flicking away.

Were they going to break up?

Something in his stomach began to twist and he could feel himself getting excited. If they were fighting and the girl ended up dead somehow, everyone would suspect the boyfriend. It was the perfect plan. Now all he needed to do was pinpoint which house belonged to the girl. His lips stretched into a wide grin and before he knew it he was thinking of ways to lure her to him.

A pretty girl. A pretty girl, indeed.

"My mom said it was fine." I looked up from the tuna sandwich I was in the middle of biting into and a smile graced my lips. I set it down and rose from my seat at the lunch table, my skirt ruffling as a breeze picked up.

"I'm sure Ino will be happy to hear that." I said. A rosy blush dusted Sakura's cheeks and she averted her gaze.

"Shut up." She muttered with her glossy, stuck-out lips. I just grinned even wider. "And get up. I have something to show you." My brows furrowed and I opened my mouth to ask her what, but she was already starting off in the direction of the school auditorium. I shoved my sandwich into the paper bag while muttering a few incoherent things, and then raced after her.

Her bubblegum pixie cut matched her personality straight on. It was edgy and dangerous, like her; and also admirable. But it was soft and delicate, which was her inner side that she almost never showed. In fact, the only times she actually ever showed her sweet side was when she was with Ino, her girlfriend.

She swung the doors open and propped it with her foot, turning back around and popping her hip out as she waited impatiently for me to catch up. When we were in the auditorium, she shut the doors and motioned me to follow her. We made our way through the throng of people who had already congregated by a stand occupied by two seniors that I recognized.

One was Ohana, the captain of the swim team. She was a gorgeous girl with platinum blonde hair and soft green eyes. Of course her lip piercing made her look kind of intimidating, but she was nice nonetheless. The girl seated beside her, handing out brochures, was Chiaki.

Sakura grabbed a hold of my hand and pulled me to the front of the table. "Hey," I whispered into her ear as the murmured complaints from the others behind us became very aware. "Isn't this cutting?"

"Cutting?" she repeated. "What? Are you in third grade?" she shook her head and turned back to the two girls who were watching us peculiarly. Chiaki looked as if she wanted to say something to us; something along the lines of _no cuts! Get to the back of the line!_

But of course I already knew by her timid nature that she wouldn't say a word. We worked on the school play together last year. She and I both had wanted to be in it, but we were too shy to go on stage, so we worked backstage instead. She was actually pretty cool.

"Are you interested in signing up?" Ohana wanted to know. Her brow quirked quizzically as Sakura grabbed a pen and jotted her name down on the signup list. Then she thrust the pen towards me and nodded eagerly. I turned to the other two girls for help.

"It's for summer camp." Ohana answered my unspoken question. "Summer's in a week and this camp starts the day after."

"It's for anyone who likes music or acting." Chiaki chimed in. Ohana grinned and motioned towards the signup sheet suggestively.

"What do you do there?" I asked, tentatively taking the pen from Sakura's grip and turning to the signup sheet. Chiaki's soft curls bounced as she spoke, her whole face lighting up in enthusiasm.

"You get to do fun activities and learn how to perform in front of people."

"And then at the end we have a huge concert for Konoha and people do acting, singing, dancing-whatever you're there for." Ohana added.

"Whatever we're there for?" I reiterated. I slowly edged toward the clipboard as their words, and Sakura's penetrating gaze started to convince me.

"Yeah. You get separated into groups. Like, if you like to sing you're in that group; and if you like to act you're in that one. But you bunk with whoever you're assigned to." Ohana said.

"But you can call and make "reservations" to bunk with whichever four girls of your choosing. Five to a room." Sakura piped in. Then she jabbed me in the side and finally, pen met paper, and my name was scribbled down with all of the rest.

Ohana and Chiaki showered us with smiles and then welcomed the next students. "Come on," Sakura said while leading me back to the courtyard where I was once eating my lunch peacefully. "I made reservations for you, me, Ino and Tenten."

"You did that without my consent?" I said. "You didn't even know if I was coming!"

"Oh I knew you were coming." She said.

I deadpanned.

"But that means Ino and Tenten are definitely coming too?" I asked. She nodded in response. "Sweet; but who'll be the fifth?"

"That's up to the staff." She said.

"I'll see you there." Chiaki called after us. I glanced over my shoulder at her and grinned. _See you there, Chiaki._

XXXXXXXXX

"I'm beat," I groaned, flopping onto my bed and kicking off my topsiders. Tenten took a seat on my floor in the lotus position.

"This is going to be so much fun." She cooed. "What group are you going to be in?" I let out a small laugh.

"Like you even have to ask?" I propped my head up to look at her. "Sing-ing," I said each syllable slowly as if she were mentally retarded and got a face full of pillow in return.

"Whatever," she said with a laugh. "I'm going for the instruments group. I want to learn how to play guitar and drums." Her eyes brightened and I had to keep myself from laughing and spoiling her moment.

"But you already know how to play every other instrument in the world. Why would you want to learn to play those boring old instruments?" I asked. Tenten scoffed.

"My parents expect me to be so perfect." She chided herself. "But I'm not their perfect, little rich girl. And I'm not lady-like, either."

_I know. _

"So I can play cello, piano, violin, viola-who gives a shit? No one wants to listen to that stuff. I want to rock out." She stuck out her tongue in a rock star motion and I snorted. Just then, my door swung open and Ino came in, Sakura in tow.

"You bring the drinks?" Tenten asked.

"No, Sakura and I went downstairs to play the fire truck game." Ino said sarcastically. Sakura's face flushed and she bent down and flicked Tenten's forehead.

"Don't be so dense." She muttered. Tenten narrowed her gaze at her and pried the soda from Ino's grip. She popped the top and began to guzzle the drink before offering any to us, leaving Ino to take the rest from her lap and hand them out.

"So, what does everyone think about camp?" The blonde asked as she took a seat on the end of my bed. Sakura followed and took her designated seat beside her girlfriend.

"I think it'll be fun." I said. Tenten wiped the residue from her lips and grinned.

"Total "not bummer summer"." She added with a laugh. Everyone groaned in response.

"I hated that movie." Ino said, scrunching up her nose in detest.

"Yeah, what was up with her hair?" Sakura added, joining in on the fun. I shrugged.

"I thought it was an okay movie…" I said innocently. Tenten rolled her eyes.

"So anyways, who do you think our fifth roommate will be?" Ino asked.

"Who cares?" Sakura said in mock-interest. Ino nudged her and let her lips caress Sakura's neck.

"Oh, gawd," Tenten and I said in unison. Ino and Sakura shared a small laugh before separating. There was a knock on my door and everyone turned to see Neji standing in the doorway.

"Hey," he greeted. Ino, Sakura and I all glanced at Tenten who was blushing ever so slightly. She sent us a look that said knock-it-off-or-your-heads-will-be-rolling.

"Hey," I said. "What do you need?"

"I just wanted to know if you guys had signed up for that camp…?" I smiled.

"Yeah, we are. Why? You want to see Tenten dancing on stage?" Neji and Tenten's faces both lit up like Christmas lights. "Well too bad. She's not that type. She's more into…" I mimicked the rock star motion she had used earlier. "Rocking out," I finished.

"Shut the hell up." He said. "Don't get me wrong, Tenten, but you're definitely not my type. I don't date slobs." Then he turned to me. "Toss me a soda." I did so and then he left. Sakura, Ino and I were all quiet as Tenten sat on the floor, staring at her feet.

"Way to be discreet, guys." She muttered before lifting herself from the floor and exiting the room. I reached out a hand to stop her, but was already too late.

"Well, that could have gone better." Sakura muttered, taking a swig of her drink. I propped my chin in my hands and sighed.

"Neji is such a buzz kill."

XXX

"Yo, Hinata." I turned around to see who was calling my name to find Naruto. A smile graced my lips. Back n elementary and middle school, I had had a huge crush on him. There was just something there; something that had made my heart burst and my frown turn upside down whenever I saw his face. His hair was outrageously disheveled and he dyed it a different color every week. His eyes were the color of the ocean on a clear day, and the whiskers he had gotten tattooed on his cheeks back in middle school as a "rebellion thing" softened his look up. My crush eventually faded when I realized he was gay.

His hair was dyed blue and red today.

"Good morning," I greeted. He ran a hand through his hair and scratched at the sensitive spot on his neck. His famous grin made my heart melt, even though I wasn't attracted to him, and it made my grin widen.

"So listen, Neji told me you and your groupies are going to that camp thing." I nodded, trying to stifle my laughter at his use of the word "groupies."

"Well, I was thinking about going to. Sasuke and I were, actually." My eyebrows rose.

"Yeah, that'd be cool." I said. He nodded.

"But here's the thing," he leaned in and started to whisper in my ear. My cheeks flushed at the new warmth that spread from my ear to the rest of my body. "Sasuke gets jealous really easily when I'm with other guys, and he's fine with the bros, you know?"

Of course I knew. He was referring to Shikamaru, Choji and Neji.

"Well, there's this guy that I made friends with back when I went to California for summer vacation." _He went to America? _"And this guy is coming to the camp, too. In fact, he just moved back to Japan. He was in California for a year as a foreign exchanged student." I nodded.

"And I'm kind of afraid Sasuke will get really jealous because he and I are really great friends and, well, he _is_ kind of cute." Naruto took a step back and I could see his was blushing slightly. "What should I do?" I shrugged.

"Sorry Naruto, but you know I'm not good with guys."

_Yeah, and if you keep on saying that, you'll never be good with them. _

Naruto nodded sadly. "Oh, I get it. I'll just ask someone else." I sighed.

"Naruto, just don't worry. Tell Sasuke when you guys get there that you and this guy are just friends. He's into girls, right?" he nodded slowly. "See?" I said, smiling widely. "Then there's no competition for him!" Naruto's brows merged and then a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"You're right." he said.

"Yeah, I am." I said proudly. "So what's this guy's name?"

"Kiba," he said. The bell rang and Naruto and I started for class. "He's really cool. He's got tattoos on his cheeks, like me, except their fangs, not whiskers. He's more into wolfs, not tigers, you know?" I nodded, even though I didn't really get the whole this-is-my-animal thing. Although I did prefer cats over anything.

"And he drives a motorcycle, and has a pet dog that's as big as a bear-literally." My eyebrows shot up. That was pretty impressive… "And he's really smart, too. I mean, he might look all biker this and biker that," I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. Naruto could be such a dork sometimes. "But he's really kind and he's a genius, I swear. Not Shikamaru genius, but still." He muttered the last part and I rolled my eyes.

"He sounds really cool." I said. "Can't wait to meet him."

"Yeah," Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "And he loves animals. You'd love him, Hinata, I mean it." I smiled while shaking my head.

"This is my class." I said, stopping. "I'll see you later." He nodded and went on to his next class.

_I'm starting to think that maybe Sasuke does have some competition…_

**So, how was it? I hope you guys all liked it :))) Comment and read my next chapters ;) **


	2. Chapter 2

~Chapter Two

**A/N **Hey guys :) Sorry about the ending for the first chapter; I might have messed up a bit. Anyways, I just finished Inuyasha and my heart is like, about to burst! I'm so mad it ended X_X Well, I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter and enjoy this one, too. Comment and message :D

~_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

Sometimes I see them in dreams; and sometimes I have to witness them in real life.

When I was just seven years old, I was plagued by dreams of death. I would sometimes witness the murders, but most of the time the dreams just showed me the location of the dead body. When I find a body, the spot will be glowing a certain color; and each color represents a certain death. I've learned which colors mean what over the years.

Red represents murder; purple represents suicide; and green represents an accidental death.

Of course, no one knows about my special "powers" except my family and one of the officers on the AMBU Black Ops. He's one of my many cousins, and he's been forced to keep the family secret to spare me from the public; which of course gives him extra gratitude from his boss, and certain promotions.

But sometimes the dreams are different.

~_Dream Sequence_

_I pulled into the driveway, watching as the porch lights lit up on my arrival. I groaned. That meant dad had been waiting for me to pull in, which also meant I was late. _

_ The door swung open and a man in a blue sil bathrobe stormed out of the house. I slipped the key into my pocket and climbed out of the car, holding up my hands in surrender before he could speak. "Listen, daddy," I started. But then I stopped, as I realized I didn't know what to say next. _

_ "Where have you been?" he pressed. _

Where have I been?

_ I didn't even know, myself. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to remember where I had been driving back from, but nothing hit me. _

_ My father grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the house, slamming the door shut behind us. "You are in so much trouble, young lady." He scolded. I narrowed my gaze on him. That wasn't my father._

_ My eyes widened. _

_ This man had dark, blue eyes and shaggy, blonde hair. There was stubble around his chin, where as my father kept it perfectly shaven; and he was very much overweight. _

How could I have not seen that before?

_"Daddy…?" The man and I both looked up at the same time to find a little boy, about the age of four, I was guessing, watching us with round, teary eyes. The man sighed and rubbed at his eyes with his thumbs. _

_ "Go back to bed, Kohaku." _

_ My brows furrowed. I didn't have a little brother._

_ I looked around the foyer we were standing in and noted that it was much smaller and disheveled than the foyer in my house. My father was a clean freak, and I lived in a pretty huge home in the Hyuga Estates, the neighborhood where pretty much every Hyuga lived. _

_ "Hey," the man's gruff voice tore me from my thoughts and I blinked. "Are you listening? Don't stand there like a deer in the headlights-move!" I jerked backwards at his sudden burst of anger. Veins broke out on his forehead, beneath the curly locks of gold. "To your room!" he roared. _

_ I didn't know what was going on, but I made a run for the stairs, choosing not to disobey him, for fear of what might happen to me. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" he called after me. I stopped. _

_ My hand gripping the banister started to tremble, and I turned to look at him slowly. "You're room is down there." He pointed towards a door that I assumed lead to the basement. Tentatively, I made my way back down the stairs and opened the door. _

_ A gust of cold wind welcomed me, and my wavy, russet locks blew back. And then there was a hand at my back, and I could feel myself being pushed down the stairs. A scream ripped through my throat as I tumbled down the eroded, wooden staircase. _

_ "Sis!"_

_ ~End Dream Sequence_

I woke with a start, gasping for breath and gripping my bed sheets firmly. My eyes darted around the room, and I relaxed at the sight of the familiar belongings.

Just then, the door swung open and Neji flicked on the light. "You alright?" he wanted to know.

I peered back at him, letting my eyes adjust to the light before sighing in defeat. "No," I sank back under my covers as he made his way towards me, taking a seat on the edge of my bed and laying a reassuring hand on my calf.

"What happened?" I licked my lips.

"Did I scream?" I asked, ignoring his question. He studied me for a moment before nodding. I swallowed. "I was…someone else…"

His brows furrowed. "I mean, in the dream, I was this girl. I had gotten home late and my dad-well, not _my_ dad but, you know what I mean…" The corner of Neji's lip tugged up in a humorous smile.

"Whatever," I said, flustered. "The point is, I got home late and he pushed me down the stairs…I think he killed me…" Neji stared at me blankly.

"Er, her." I corrected myself. He let out a dead breath and ran a hand through his long, dark mane.

"Do you know who she is?" he asked, finally. I shook my head. "Okay," he lifted himself off of the bed and reached for the cell phone by the side of my bed.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He paused. "Calling the chief… like we _always do_." I shook my head and snatched the phone from him.

"We can't do that." I said. "This dream didn't show me where she was located." Neji's eyebrows rose in surprise. "And it's weird; I mean, I've never actually been the victim in the dream before…"

"Maybe it's like one of those cases on the crime shows?" He suggested. I shot him a quizzical look, prompting him to continue. "Okay, like in Medium? The lady was one of the victims? She had to look for clues. Like, did you see the address of the house? Maybe you recognized the man? Did you recognize the house, maybe?"

I mulled it over in my mind. "No," I said quietly. "I didn't see the address."

And then I remembered the porch lights flicking on. Right beside the porch lights…

"Wait," I said. "I remember something about the house." Neji took a seat in my beanbag chair. "There was a plate…"

"A plate?" he repeated doubtfully.

"Not like a dinner plate." I explained. "It was like a name plate. You know how houses have those signs on them that say the name of the family that live there?" Neji nodded. "Well, it was like that. Except there wasn't a name…" I squinted, trying to remember what was on the plate, exactly.

"Oh, well that helps. No name. You want me to go search all of the houses for a sign that says nothing?" I kicked him in the chest with my heel.

"Wait-!" I shouted. "There was a…a sprite!"

"A sprite? Like the soda?"

"No," I said as a smile graced my lips. "Like a fairy."

Neji studied me for a moment before rising to his feet and striding towards my door. "Great," he said. "You look for Tinkerbelle; I'm going back to bed."

I frowned at him.

"You know, Neji?" I called after him. He stopped, but didn't turn around. "You really hurt Tenten's feelings earlier."

Silence was my only answer, and before he closed the door, he said:

"She told me."

The door closed and the light from the hallway disappeared, leaving me with the echo of his words and the remnants from my dream. I looked down at the phone in my hands and flipped it open.

One missed call: Tenten.

XXXXXXXX

When I walked into school that morning, I felt drained and agitated. Even though today was the last day of school until summer, and I had one more year of school to go before graduation and college preparations; I couldn't shake the feelings of anxiety that clenched my heart tightly, unwilling to let go.

I was wearing a purple and black, floral patterned romper with my black lace up converse; and my hair had been pulled into a tight bun with a couple of loose, curled strands escaping for the center. My bangs were swept to the side while a couple of loose strands of waved hair framed my face.

"Hinata," I looked over my shoulder to see Chiaki jogging up to me. I put on my best smile as she hurried over and enveloped me in a huge bear hug.

"Uh, hi," I said. She squeezed me tighter until the only anxiety I felt was from fear of choking to death.

"So?" she said, pulling back to look me in the eyes. "Last day of school." She grinned.

"Yeah," I said, scratching my arm awkwardly. "Gonna' be a good one." She nodded enthusiastically and started to steer me in the direction of the gym, our first period which we shared.

"So, I just wanted to remind you about the camp." She said. "There will be a bus to pick us up from the school. Be here at nine o'clock." I nodded.

That was nice. Now dad didn't have to drive me.

"And don't forget to pack a bathing suit." My cheeks flushed.

"Bathing suit?" I stuttered.

"Uh-huh. There's a pool, and we get free days to go swimming; so don't forget!" And with that, she ran off to join her other friends who were crowding around the huge Sakura tree in the middle of the courtyard.

_Wasn't she going to walk me to class?_

I shook the thought away and headed for the gym, when something caught my eye. I stopped and gaped.

A girl stood in the company of her friends by a park bench, laughing and conversing. The wind picked up and her wavy, russet locks blew behind her.

The books I held in my arms fell to the ground with a thud.

That was her.

XXXXX

"Oi, Hinata." Ino parked her rear in the seat in front of me and leaned in, resting her chin in her hands idly. "What you up to?"

I didn't answer.

Her brows furrowed and she stuck out her lip in a small pout. "Hey, come on. It's the last day of school! Everyone's running around having fun; roaming the hallways and spray painting the sidewalks." I looked up, brows raised in skepticism.

"Okay, maybe not spray painting the sidewalks…" she said in defeat. Then she got really quiet and leaned in closer.

"Did you have another nightmare?"

I didn't tell my friends about my "powers"; like I said, I only told my family. But I did hint to having bad dreams every once in a while; and I guess I complained about it so much that now they seem to think I have them every night, and that when I'm in a bad mood it's because of the dreams.

And usually, they were the reason.

"Yeah," I said bleakly.

"Well come on," she said cheerfully. "It was just a dream."

I bit my lip, knowing that what I was about to say would probably either get me in big ass trouble, or have everyone thinking I was ludicrous.

"Ino," I said quietly. "You don't understand." Her thin, blonde brows furrowed slightly.

"Understand what?" she wanted to know.

I swallowed. "There's a girl that goes to this school." I said. "And she was in my dream last night." I held my breath, waiting for her to burst out in fits of giggles.

But it didn't come.

"So? There have been people from this school that have been in my dreams plenty of times." She said with the wave of her hand.

"No," I insisted. "I've never seen this girl before in my entire life!" Ino sighed and rose from her seat, extending her hand out for me to take.

"Come on," she said. "It's time to go have some fun."

XXXXX

"I'll miss you!"

I giggled, wrapping my arms around one of the friends I had made in science class this year. "I'll miss you too."

And then the bell rang, and the halls were filled with boisterous throngs of teenagers hollering their hurrays for the beginning of fun and the end of torture. Ino, Sakura, Tenten and I had escaped to the back of the school so we wouldn't get trampled on in all of the fuss.

"Party at my place?" Sakura suggested, throwing her head back in the wind and letting it blow through her short, spiky bob cut. I laughed.

"No way; we have to pack for camp." She sent me a sour look and crossed her arms over her chest.

"Fine," she complied. "Just me and Ino then."

Ino and I glanced at Tenten, who hadn't said a word all day. And it was pretty out of place for her not to speak up when she wasn't invited to an event. "Tenten…?" I tried.

She flinched.

Ino and I shared a look. "Did something happen between you and Neji when you left last night?" Ino asked. Tenten kept her lips shut tightly and her eyes on the ground.

"Neji told me…Neji told me that you spoke to him…" I said. Tenten's head shot up and we could see her eyes clearly now. They were filled to the brim with tears. "Hey," I stopped walking and placed my hands on her shoulders; restraining her form going any further.

Ino and Sakura stopped, too. "Tenten, what did you say to Neji?" I demanded. She turned her cheek.

_Silent treatment. _

"Did you confess your love for him?" Ino blurted out. Tenten and my eyes widened to the size of saucers and then she shouted:

"No way, you think I'm that stupid?"

Everyone was silent as Tenten's eyes locked with mine.

"Your cousin," she said. "Is a real bastard."

**Alright, well, I felt that that chapter sucked, so… Comment and tell me what you thought of it :) Even if it did suck -_- **


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

**A/N Sorry for taking so long to get this posted. I had to finish two of my other stories, and I'm currently working on editing one of my previous ones so I can start on the sequel. But I promise I won't let you guys down on this story. Although, I do hope I get some more readers :/**

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

"Natsuko, get your lazy ass out of bed!"

The man ran a hand through his curly brown hair. His foot tapped the ground impatiently as he waited for his daughter to meet him in the kitchen for breakfast. _What was wrong with that girl? _He thought angrily. She was always late getting up. Didn't she know today was a big day?

Just then, Natsuko appeared at the top of the basement stairs in a pair of jean shorts and a pink blouse. Her hair was unruly from not being combed, but given the amount of time she thought she had down a pretty good job of presenting herself. Her father smiled at her sardonically. "Nice of you to join me," he said, and then scowled. "What happened to your hair? Did you let the dog sleep on it again?"

Natsuko bit her tongue to prevent her from saying something stupid. "Never mind," he said, dismissing her fashion statement as casually as possible. The space between his eyebrows creased as his frown deepened. "Call down Kohaku."

"No," she whispered as she turned on her heel to call up the stairs. "You killed the dog last week." Tears began to sting at the corner of her eyes. She opened her mouth to call for her younger brother when the sound of something crashing came from behind her. She swiveled back around just in time to see the chair flying towards her and dodge it.

"What did you just say?" her father screamed from the other side of the room. His fists were clenched tightly, and his face was beet red. Natsuko bit her bottom lip to keep it from quivering. "Listen here, young lady; I loved that dog. It wasn't my fault it got run over."

_Yes it was. You did it on purpose. You made jokes about it with your friends. _She thought bitterly.

The man straightened out his shirt and cleared his throat. "You know I love animals," he continued in a softer voice. His other voice. "I wouldn't harm them if my life depended on it. That's what your mother loved most about me." He motioned for her to bring the chair back over with the wave of his hand. She complied, handing it to him at as great a distance as possible. "Now go get your brother. You have to be at school before 9:00."

XXX _ XXX

The dreams were getting worse. Of course, I hadn't had any dreams about death and I hadn't seen the girl from my other dream, but something was definitely off about my dream. All night I was in and out of sleep, waking up and making odd gurgling noises and then falling back asleep with a pounding headache to accompany me.

In my dreams I was riding a glowing, red bus. I was alone, which gave me an uneasy feeling. If I was the only one on the bus then who was driving? But every time I tried to get out of my seat, the bus made a sharp turn. My fears of crashing had kept me bound to the wholly cold bus seat.

So when I woke up to the sound of my phone buzzing at around four in the morning, I wasn't just relieved, but also happy for the excuse to climb out of bed and wash my face. When I checked my phone, I was surprised to find a message from Tenten. I clicked on it with the pad of my thumb and the page opened.

_To: HinaBaby_

_From: BunsXGalore_

_Hinata, I need to talk to you about Neji. It's really urgent. Message me when you get this._

_-you who knows nothing knows more than most; ignorance truly is bliss _

I frowned at the message. Honestly, I wasn't in the mood to play match maker, but Tenten was my best and closest friend, and I felt sorry for her. She had always been a bit different. Her parents are rich as hell; they own three of Konoha's banks (and there are only four in total.) Tenten, being an only child, grew up alone.

Her parents were never there for her; they were always busy running from bank to bank. She was homeschooled until she was twelve, so she never made any friends as a kid.

So she was forced to grow up with animals.

Now she wasn't forced to live in the backyard and scavenge for food, no. She grew up with the company of her many pets; cats mostly. She'd had twelve cats and three dogs, which she loved dearly. She grew to act like them in personality and nature. She growled or hissed when she was angry, clawed when she was pissed (but only in the heat of the moment, when she wasn't thinking) and learned to hate humans.

Of course, then she met me, Sakura and Ino, and she changed her mind about humans, deciding that some were alright. She also came to love my stoic cousin, Neji, who had helped her with bullying problems back in middle school. But even then, he still thought she was a weird-ass slob.

I sighed and flipped my phone to the right to begin my message.

_To: BunsXGalore_

_From: HinaBaby_

_Hey Tenten :) How are you feeling? I hope you aren't still made at us for what we said earlier. If you want me to talk to Neji, I will. Just tell me what's up._

_-As I lay in bed looking up at the stars, I think to myself, where the hell is the ceiling? _

I set the phone down and left my bedroom to wash my face. I crept past Hanabi and Neji's rooms and closed the bathroom door behind me as quietly as possible. My father was probably still at work (he worked extremely late hours) so Neji would be driving us to school.

I washed my face twice; once with cold water and once with hot water. Then I dried my face and skulked downstairs for a "midnight" snack. I grabbed some peanut butter and an apple, along with a knife to slice it with, and ran back up the stairs. When I flopped back down on my bed, I noticed another message lighting up my phone screen. I flipped it open and read the message.

_To: HinaBaby_

_From: Whiskerlickin'Mama'sBoy_

_Hey Tenten :) Me and Sasuke need a ride to school. Can Neji give us one?_

_-If you die in an elevator, be sure to push the Up button XD_

I roll my eyes and start to type back when I hear something tap at my window. My heart stutters at the sound, and I slip my phone under the sheets of my bed before carrying myself to my window. I peer through the blinds but am met with the blanket of darkness a moonless night brings us.

I hold my breath and wait for the sound again. All of a sudden my phone buzzes again, and I nearly jump out of my skin. The glare of light panics me. If the person outside my window can see it, they'll think I heard them and got up to see what the noise was. Of course, that is what happened and I'm not saying I want an intruder at my window, but I'd at least like to know who it is so I can call the-

My thoughts are interrupted when the face of a girl appears at my window. Her cheek is plastered against my window, and her eyes are closed tightly. A stream of blood rolls down her neck, and just as a scream rips through my throat, her face is gone, and all that's left is the glowing of crimson on my windowpane.

I drop the knife and lurch for the window, fingers fumbling for the latches as my heart rate speeds up. My door swings open behind me, but I'm too busy looking over the edge of our house for the girl. Someone grabs my shoulder and twists me around. I don't even have to see their face to know it's Neji.

I throw myself at him, burying my head in his chest as a choked cry starts low in my throat. "What happened?" he asks. I pull away from him and point a shaky finger towards my window.

"There was a girl," I say. My throat is closing quickly, and it makes it hard for me to speak. "Her face was pressed up against my window. Her neck was bleeding."

"I don't see any blood," Neji says as he leans over the windowsill to take a look.

"The whole window is glowing red," I say. "The mark of the murdered."

"Hinata," he turns around to face me. "There's no one there."

My brows furrow together as I push past him to take a look. "Turn a light on," I say. Neji leaves and comes back with a flashlight. He shines it down below my window, and my heart sinks at the sight.

"See?" he says and switches it off. "Just grass; no one's there. So tell me," he crosses his arms. "What were you doing with that knife?"

My cheeks heat as I turn my attention to the knife at my feet. "I was having an apple…" I whisper.

"Hinata, I think you just had a bad dream."

"I wasn't asleep, though." I protest. "I was fully awake; I was having an apple. Would you trust yourself with a knife if you weren't fully awake?"

"No," he said stolidly. "I don't handle knives at four in the morning. You should be asleep, Hinata, so why weren't you?"

"Why don't you ask your big ego?" I shoot back. "Tenten messaged me. She's really upset about what you said to her." I cross my arms over my chest and mimic his position. "I think you should apologize."

"For what?" his jaw tightens. "I wasn't trying to be mean. Maybe she should stop being such a pig." He reaches over and shuts my window with a forceful slam.

"Well you didn't have to say it. Besides, you know how she was brought up. You know about the bullying."

"Yes, Hinata," he grabs my wrist and pulls me to him with a jerk. Our noses touch. "I know better than anyone. You think I don't care about that girl? Well you're sadly mistaken." He releases me and turns away. "I don't want you talking to her anymore for tonight." He reaches over and grabs my phone from under the covers.

"Hey,"

"Get some sleep,"

He slams the door shut behind him, leaving me alone with my blazing red window and unsliced apple. Suddenly, I wasn't in the mood for a midnight munchy.

XXX _ XXX

Neji peered down at the phone in his hands. There was a message on the phone, and his mind was telling him not to read it, just let it be, but his heart told him to look. He clicked on the message and the page popped up.

_To: HinaBaby_

_From:Wiskerlickin'Mama'sBoy_

_Hinata? Can Neji give us a ride tomorrow? ANSWER OR YOU'RE DOOMED_

_-If you die in an elevator, make sure to press the UP button XD_

Neji gnashed his teeth together. Suddenly, a twisted idea popped in his head.

_To: Wiskerlickin'Mama'sBoy_

_From: HinaBaby _

_Yeah, sure you can, Naruto. But you'll have to meet us at our house. 3_

_- As I lay in bed looking up at the stars, I think to myself, where the hell is the ceiling? _

Neji shut the phone with a triumphant smile. That was that. But just as he was about to slip the phone into his pocket, it buzzed again. _Damn Naruto…_

_To: HinaBaby_

_From: BunsXGalore_

_No, don't talk to him. I don't want him to hate me anymore than he already does. I feel like I owe him one for everything he did for me in middle school because… he was my savior. _

Neji's heart fluttered. Her savior?

_I'm even thinking of trying to be less of a slob… I just want him to like me, you know? I like him so much… Don't tell him I said this, but… I kind of wish we could go out. And no offense Hinata, but every time you try to help me out with something, something goes wrong. So NO, do not talk to him about this, got it?_

_-you who knows nothing knows more than most; ignorance truly is bliss_

Neji bit his bottom lip. She wanted to change. For him. He was seriously starting to rethink what he had said to her. Maybe he should apologize? He flipped the phone over and began to write. What she didn't know wouldn't hurt her, right?

_To: BunsXGalore_

_From: HinaBaby_

_Tenten, you shouldn't change for someone else. You're perfect just the way you are. In fact, I think Neji has a soft spot for you. Why else would he help you out in middle school?_

Neji stopped typing. He wanted to write so much more, but he couldn't. Instead, he clicked the send button and placed the phone on his nightstand. Ignorance is bliss, huh?

XXX _ XXX

There was a loud knocking coming from downstairs. I pried my eyes open, only to be met by a brilliant orange light filtering through my window. I shut them again and rolled over in bed. "Hinata," Neji called from downstairs. "It's eight o'clock; time to get ready!"

I pushed the sound of his voice from my ears and buried my head deeper into my pillow. I had actually managed to get some sleep free of dreams when I had went back to bed at five in the morning, and I wasn't about to let that slip away from me.

"Hinata, you only have half an hour to get ready! Get up,"

I groaned. There were other voices coming from downstairs, but they were muffled. I strained to hear, but only caught a few words: wake and go. I wrapped the sheets around my head and curled into a ball just as my bedroom door opened. "Go away, Nej," I moan.

When he doesn't answer, I kick off the sheets and sit up in bed. "Who's downstairs?"

But when I turn to look at who I thought was Neji, I freeze. The boy in front of me was definitely not Neji. In fact, I hadn't seen him before in my entire life, although he did look a bit familiar. He sent me a toothy grin, followed by a peace sign. "Hey," he said. His voice was rough and deep, but somehow it reminded me of rich chocolate. "I'm Kiba,"

My eyes widened as I took in his attire. He was wearing red shorts and a tight, black shirt. He was wearing a pair of threadbare converse, and his red and black cap hid some of his unruly, brown locks while some tumbled into his eyes.

I sat there with my mouth open. He looked exactly as Naruto had described him. And better. Sun kissed skin, amber eyes, velvety voice, lush hair- he had it all. All but a sense of respect, which I quickly found out.

"Nice outfit; it really brings out your curves."

My cheeks heated to a temperature of two hundred, and I scrambled to throw my sheets back over me. Kiba looked pleased at my reaction and gave me a wink. "A pretty girl like you shouldn't be covering yourself up. Embrace your beauty, love."

And so I did the only think I could think of.

I threw the knife from last night, which I had set on my nightstand, right at his head. His eyes widened and he jerked away at the last second. The blade pierced the wall with a thud, the handle still wobbling as Kiba and I both shared a bewildered look. "What the hell?" he said. "I was just complimenting you!"

"GET OUT, YOU PERV!"

If there was one thing I hated most, it was pervs. Tenten hated humans and animal abusers, Ino hated people prettier than her, Sakura hated anyone daring to look her way, and I hated pervs.

The door to my room swung open and there stood a befuddled Naruto. His hair was green and red today, which matched his green basketball shorts with a white tee and his red converse. His eyes darted from Kiba to me, and after a few seconds of watching the both of us as if he'd just witnessed his family being murdered, Sasuke and Neji entered the room.

"What's going on here?" Neji asks. His gaze turns directly to the knife in my wall and after a moment of staring at it with a deadpan expression, he pressed his lips together.

"Did you just try to kill my best friend?" Naruto demanded.

"No," I say quietly.

"Well you'd better, or else I'll be obliged to." Sasuke said, and left the room.

Everyone was silent, and then Neji said:

"I don't trust you with a knife whether you're asleep or not."

**A/N: Hey guys :) I hope that wasn't too bad…? I hope you enjoyed. Remember to comment :D **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

**A/N: **Hey guys :) So I'm actually in a pretty good mood. Some of you commented on my last chapter, and thanks to those of you who did, I love you; so I'm going to write chapter four for you :D

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

After getting dressed-I was wearing a pair of white shorts that Tenten and I had spray painted in my backyard last year, a pink blouse with ruffles at the top and my lace up converse-I headed down stairs. I'd decided to pull my hair up into a high ponytail, since we were going to camp, after all. I wondered to myself if Tenten was going to wear her matching black shorts (we had spray painted both of or shorts.)

"Hey guys," I say as I hit the landing. Neji, Naruto, Sasuke and Kiba are in the kitchen chatting about something I probably shouldn't be listening to. I lean in and give them a grin. "Hey Kiba," I give him a sheepish wave. I felt bad about nearly taking out his eyes and had decided while I was in the shower, that I would apologize when I came downstairs. But he didn't give me the chance.

"Someone's all dolled up. Who's it for? Yourself?" he slammed his palms down on the counter. I gave him a bewildered look. "Because Lord knows it's not for any of the _perverts _out there."

"Hey," I say, lifting a finger to point at him. I take a step forward, my eyes narrowing. "Don't you dare get on my case. I was just about to apologize, but I guess now I won't." I cross my arms over my chest.

"Oh no," he says in fake reassurance. "You don't need to apologize for nearly killing me; it was nothing compared to what Uchiha, here wants to do to me."

"Oh whatever," I say in a snotty voice. Sasuke sends Kiba a glare from behind his coffee mug. I turn to Naruto and give a tired sigh. "And what are you guys even doing here? I thought we were going to give you a ride."

Neji looked up from his plate of eggs and took a large step backwards, into the living room. "You told us to meet you here so Neji could give us a ride to the school." Naruto says while furrowing his eyebrows.

"No I didn't," I say. "How did you get here, anyway?"

"Uh yeah, you sent me the text last night. And we walked; how else would we get here? Sasuke's car is in the shop, Kiba doesn't have his because he just got back from California and I got mine taken away. That's why we needed the ride."

"Naruto," I say, stating my words as clearly as possible. "The walk to my house is father than the walk to school. Why would you take the extra time?"

Naruto opens his mouth to retort, but stops. "Then why the hell would you tell us to come here?" He says in exasperation.

"I never did!" I shout. "Neji took my phone before I could."

Sasuke snorts. "Way to go, dobe; Neji just played you." He sets down his mug and exits the kitchen in his famous emo fashion. I shake my head.

"You're just as dense as I remember, Uzumaki," Kiba says with a smirk.

"Oh whatever," Naruto harrumphs.

"Hey guys, we got to get going. Grab your bags and get in the car." Neji says for the dining room. Naruto drops his plate in the sink and exits the kitchen, along with Kiba. I start to follow them out when Neji stops me in the doorway.

"Hey," I said. "Why the hell would you touch my phone? Who gave you permission to send any texts on there?"

"Here," Neji says, ignoring my words and handing me a folded note. "It's from dad."

Neji was my cousin, but he sometimes called Hiashi his father too, because it was so much easier to pretend like he was his actual father. My dad didn't complain, but the very first time Neji had used the nickname, he had stilled. I was stunned too, of course, because Neji hadn't exactly embraced his new life with us when he had first moved in. Calling my father his father was a huge step up.

I took the note and unfolded it. "Meet you in the car," he said, and then left. I nodded to myself.

_Hinata, your cousin has informed me on a recent killing spree. I'm leaving for work now and won't be back until long after you and Neji have left because I am working on the case 24/7. It's a big case, and your safety is key. The target is pretty girls, your age. Be careful, and have Neji look after you and your friends at camp. If you have any dreams or see any auras, call me immediately. _

_-Dad _

XXX^.~XX

The bus ride was a lot longer than I had expected, and considering I hadn't gotten to eat any breakfast-mostly because of Kiba's rude barging- my stomach was growling most of the way. "Gosh Hinata, quiet that thing or I'll be forced to stick something in there." Ino said.

"Please do," I begged. The blonde raised an eyebrow, a grin forming on her lips.

"So, the new guy," Sakura says and motions with her head towards Kiba. "Who is he?"

"Ugh, one of Naruto's friends." I say. "He transferred to California a couple of years ago, I think, and he's come back just in time for camp."

"Well he's cute," Sakura says. "So why do you sound so grumpy?"

"Because he's a total perv." I stick out my bottom lip in a pout, and Ino just laughs.

"Who? Kiba?" she says in disbelief. I nod. "No way; I've known his since kindergarten. He's a sweetheart. Loves animals, respects women-he's got it all. If I wasn't into girls I'd totally go for him."

"Are you kidding me?" I throw my head back. "No way; he said I had nice curves and that I shouldn't hide myself from the world. He'd just met me! There's a perv for you."

"Pssh," Ino waves her hand at me. "He was just complimenting you."

"So I get that you hate him," Tenten whispers. "But why does he hate you?"

"What do you mean?" Sakura asks.

"He's glaring pretty intensely…"

We all turn our heads in his direction to find him glaring daggers at me. He holds my gaze, even with everyone's eyes on him, and his frown deepens. He turns to whisper something in Naruto's ear, his gaze never leaving mine. I turn back around, annoyed that he's being such an ass about this morning. What kind of grown boy holds grudges?

"I don't know why…" I lie.

"Oh yeah? There must be a reason if he's drawing X's on his wrist with his thumb nail." Ino says. I turn to her; she looks worried for him.

"If he wants to be emo, that's his problem." I say.

"That's not emo," Tenten argues. "I do that all the time; when I'm angry I draw on myself with my nails." She shrugs as if it's no big deal.

"So what really happened?" Ino pressed.

"I…threw a knife at his head." I wince as the words escape my lips. I can feel everyone's eyes on me, especially Ino's.

"Aw, Hina," Tenten cries and throws her arms around my neck. "I'm so proud of you; finally taking up an antihuman attitude. You can join the Besto Friendos now."

I shrug out of her grip and meet Ino's gaze. "I'd hate you too."

I groan. "Whatever," I say, and sink deeper into my seat. "I think he deserved it."

"For complimenting you?" Ino retorts.

"Maybe it was criticism," I mumble.

"Hey Hinata," Tenten says. "Did you get my last text?"

I fumble for my phone. "No, sorry; I was a bit busy…" I open it and check for missed messages. There was one, from Tenten.

_To: HinaBaby_

_From: BunsXGalore_

_Aww, thanks Hina! You're the bestest :D_

_-you who knows nothing knows more than most; ignorance truly is bliss_

I slip the phone back into my pocket and give her a smile. "So you do want me to talk to him?"

"What?" Tenten's eyebrows come together as she looks at me in confusion.

"You said, 'Aw, thanks Hina; you're the best.' Does that mean you do want me to talk to him?"

"I said that because of what you said to me last night." Tenten says. "Are you feeling okay?"

I take my phone back out and begin to scroll through all of my messages. When I see the one from Tenten that I _hadn't_ read, and then the message "I'd sent back," everything began to fit together. A smirk replaced my confused frown, and I looked up at her. "Oh, I forgot I sent that one." I say, and slip the phone back into my pocket.

Neji, Neji, Neji…

…

"Already everyone; sign your name in whichever slot you'd like to be in. Then you can move on to the next counter, where our camp director will assign you to your rooms."

I signed my name under the slot that read SINGERS and then moved out of the way for Tenten, Ino and Sakura to sign up. "What did you pick?" I ask Ino once she hands the pen to Sakura. I already knew Tenten was going to be in the instrumental group, which meant we wouldn't be together very much.

"I signed up for acting, duh." If Ino was in acting, then that meant Sakura was, too. She shakes her head as if I'm the stupidest person in the world and then turns her attention to the rest of the room. "Has anyone else noticed how creepy it is here?"

"What do you mean?" Sakura asks as she joins the group.

"I mean, nothing is new here. Everything's worn down… I bet our rooms won't even have air conditioning."

"Oh, you won't be needing air conditioning."

I jump at the sound of someone's voice behind me. When we turn around, we see a young woman with spiky, purple hair and matching lips. Her eyes are dark and mysterious and her attire is a bit racy. She gives us a welcoming smile and extends her arms. "I'm Anko, the camp director."

I give her a shy smile. The way she was looking at me made my skin crawl. Something about her gaze made me want to go jump in a lake. Sometimes Jiraiya sensei, my health teacher, made me feel that way.

"Why won't we need air conditioning?" Ino asks.

"Well," Anko leans in to whisper to us. "This here ground we're standing on is actually haunted. At night, it gets so cold that some of the bugs don't make it to morning."

I swallow. "I hope you all brought nice, warm jammies. You'll need them." Her smile widens and before we can say anything back, she's gone.

"No," Ino mumbles. "I only brought shorts."

XXX^.~XXX

When we get to our room, we're surprised to find it's actually not s bad, considering we just had to walk up a huge hill just to get to it. Our cabin is the only cabin on this particular hill, and the only other cabin in a two mile radius is cabin 104, which belongs to boys. This should be fun.

"That was heart breaking," Sakura breathed while taking a sip of water.

"Yeah, are we seriously goin to have to walk up and down that hill every day?" Tenten says. I shrug.

"I don't know, but this cabin doesn't look all that bad."

"The exterior is nice," Ino agrees, albeit reluctantly. She wraps an arm around Sakura's waist to help her walk the rest of the way.

"Look," Tenten says when we get to the door. "Hinata and I are not going to subject ourselves to listen you guys in the middle of the night, got it? Not lovey-dovey shit. I mean it, or I'm sleeping in the woods."

"See if I care," Sakura mumbles.

"Oh hush," Ino says and kisses her cheek.

Don't get me wrong, I love Ino and Sakura, but when they kiss something in my stomach crawls up my throat and has babies in my mouth. Yeah, it's that gross. I open the door and throw my bags into one corner of the room. "What was that lady talking about?" Tenten whines. "It's hot as hell in here!"

"Literally," I agree.

There were two bunk beds and one free bed, way in the back corner. "I guess the fifth person can have the single bed." I say, and flop down onto one of the bottom bunks.

"Why do you say that?" Tenten asks. "Maybe I want the single bed."

"Get real; you're definitely not letting me sleep under some person I don't know."

"Then claim the top."

"No,"

Tenten sighs. "Fine," she mumbles, and tosses both suitcases onto the bed above me. Super strength, I tell you. Suddenly, someone appears at the door, and something inside me flips. It's Chiaki.

Her face lights up when she sees me. "Hinata," she squeals, and runs to throw her arms around my neck. "I can't believe my luck! I get to room with all of you guys?" her smile widens. "This is going to be so much fun!"

"Yeah," I laugh as she scrambles off of me. "So what group are you in?"

"Singing, of course." She says with a smile, although her cheeks are beet red.

"Cool, we'll be together."

"Awesome," she looks around at the others and gives a shy wave.

"Hey Chiaki," Tenten says, and starts to climb up to the top bunk.

"So, how long have you two known each other?" Ino asks.

"Well…"

I start to tune out when my vision starts blurring. I blink a couple of times, and then I realize that my vision isn't blurry. I'm seeing auras. There are multiple shades of red blanketing the room; on the floor, beds, and even some on the walls- and there are also shades of green.

Had someone been murdered here? That's what the red shade meant. Green meant accidental death… So someone was murdered and someone was accidentally killed? In this one room? How could that be? And how come there were so many shades covering the room?

My head began to swim. Maybe my "gift" was getting a little weak. I guess a mouse could have died in here. Someone could have killed it, which would explain the red shades; or t could have died from the cold, which would explain the green shades.

But somehow that didn't assure me.

"Hinata?"

I blinked.

"What? Yeah?" I turned to find all of the others staring at me oddly. "What?" I repeated, a little harshly.

"We were asking if you were ready to go down." Chiaki explains.

My heart hammers against my chest. I felt bad about the look on the poor girl's face. She looked both frightened and worried. "Sorry," I whisper. "Yeah, let's go."

I didn't feel like staying in my cabin when the auras of the dead were surrounding me. Something wasn't right about that cabin…

**A/N: **I hope you all enjoyed that chappie :) And I also hope some more people start reading this story :( I hate it when I only have a handful of readers. Oh well, beggars can't be choosers. Comment :D


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

**A/N: **Hey guys :/ Don't you hate it when you cook a really nice, Japanese dinner and you do your chores, and bake cookies for your sister's boyfriend, and then all you get in the end is, "You're such a slob! The chicken was too salty! This is never happening again!"…? Yeah, I do too -_-

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does._

The groups go as followed:

SINGING: Chiaki, Hinata, Natsuko, Ren, Mae, Ami, Lia, and, of course, Kiba.

INSTRUMENTAL: Tenten, Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, Minchi, Naomi, and Lee.

THESPIAN (ACTING): Ino, Sakura, Choji, Tai Lee, Ohana, Rin, Sara, and Ichigo.

I was particularly happy with the group I was assigned to. First of all, Chiaki was with me. Secondly, I noticed, the girl called Natsuko just so happened to be the girl from my dream. I was relieved that she was still alive, and was even happier that I could try to get some answers out of her (as discreetly as possible, of course.) And then there was Kiba. And I wasn't at all surprised that he was in the SINGING category, since his voice did remind me of melting chocolate.

"This is going to be so fun," Chiaki cooed from beside me. Her short, curly hair clung to her pale face; her dark eyes searched the room excitedly; her rose bud lips pressed together anxiously. I studied my group for a moment, mostly Natsuko, to try and see what their personalities were like.

Ren and Lia seemed to be good friends; they were chatting with such levity that it almost set me at ease. Mae, Ami, and Natsuko were conversing together in a small circle. The brunette from my dream seemed like quite a catch. She was lively and friendly, making conversation with almost anyone as if it was as easy as breathing. She was gorgeous, too, with long, russet hair that fell down her shoulders in spirals. Her eyes were a dull green, and her skin was copper tinted.

And Kiba, well he was standing beside himself, leaning against the side of the wall like the lone wolf he was. I almost felt bad for him, actually; not having anyone to talk to, or even sit beside. But then his eyes caught mine, and a scowl replaced his impassive expression. I stuck my nose in the air and turned my cheek.

"So Hinata," Chiaki said quietly beside me. I turned my attention toward the girl beside me. She was twirling a strand of dark hair around her finger. "What do you think of our group?"

"I don't know," I say with a shrug. My eyes fall on Natsuko, who's bent over laughing. "I think Natsuko looks friendly. We should go talk to her."

"I don't know about that…" Chiaki says. I turn to her, my eyes clouded in question. "I hear she's a bit…bipolar."

Bipolar? Her? Was she kidding? Natsuko looked friendlier than a golden retriever; she seemed sweeter than cotton candy. But when I looked again, I saw her dark green eyes clouding over with frustration. Her lips were set in a firm, annoyed frown as she listened to the other girls prattle. But then the girls turned to her and her frown disappeared, replaced by a fake smile.

And cold as ice.

"Okay guys," our mentor clapped her hands together, a wide smile taking up most of her face. "My name is Kurenie, and I love to sing. Raise your hand if you love to sing, too." Kurenie raised her hand high, her eyes scanning the room for any others to agree.

I rasied me hand, along with Chiaki and waited for the others to do the same. "Good," she said. Everyone put their hands down and she began her "lecture."

"So today we're going to assign partners. We practice singing with someone whose voice is compatible to their own. If you're a soprano, you are most likely to be paired with an alto. Everyone line up."

Chiaki and I rose from where we were seated and took our places in line. Kiba was at the back, looking bored as ever. Although I don't see why, considering he's in a group with all girls. All _pretty _girls.

Kurenie took each one of us into a separate room so she could hear our voices. When it was my turn, she motioned for me to come in. "Good luck," Chiaki whispered. I smiled in thanks and closed the door behind me.

"Hello Miss Hyuga," Kurenie said. I smiled nervously. "Just relax; tell me when you're ready." I nod and wait a few moments. What would I sing? Something that would bring out my voice, definitely. I settled on a Taylor Swift song (not my favorite, but I was really good at her songs.)

"Impressive," Kurenie said. "Your voice is diaphanous; it's soft and gentle, like an angel's. Very well done." She motions with her head for me to leave, and I complied. Chiaki was next, then Mae and then Kiba. When "auditions" were over, Kurenie stepped out of her room and smiled.

"Very well done, all of you. Now for the pairings." I looked around anxiously. What if I got paired with Kiba? How terrible would that be? "Chiaki, you're with Lia," the two girls shared looks, each giving the other a shy smile. Chiaki looked to me nervously. I sent her a you'll-do-fine-without-me look and turned back to Kurenie.

"Ren and Ami are a pair..."

Come on... There were only four of us left. I was either with Kiba, Mae or Natsuko. Kami, not Kiba… Please, not Kiba…

"Kiba, you're with…"

COME ON!

"Mae,"

Holy shit

"And Hinata, you're with Natsuko."

XXX^.~XXX

What a lucky day Tenten was having. Sure, her group consisted of everyone she knew, except for Minchi-a dark haired, mean little wench- and Naomi-a rosy cheeked, curly haired, doll-faced cry baby; but she was still left with the one person she despised most. And that also just so happened to be the one person she loved, too.

Neji Hyuga.

"So Sasuke," Naruto started. "Which instrument are you going to pick?" The raven haired boy gave a nonchalant shrug.

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe the one instrument I've been dying to learn to play since I was five…"

~Blank expression~

"The guitar…"

"Oh yeah," Naruto says, eyes lighting up. "I'm going to try out the drums."

"Great; comic relief," Neji mumbles. Tenten inwardly rolled her eyes. He was such a priss.

"Ok everyone," everyone's heads turned at the sound of their mentor's voice. He was a grizzly looking man with grey hair and a stubble ridden chin. There was a cigarette hanging loosely form his mouth as he spoke. "I'm Asuma, you're mentor. Save the greetings for later; we're assigning partners now."

His dark eyes scanned their faces. Tenten's eyes watched, almost as if she was in a trance, as the cigarette in his mouth bobbed up in down with each word he spoke. "Ok, I need everyone to line up." They did so. "Now separate into groups. This side if you want to learn something classical, like the viola or piano. Come to this side if you'd like to learn something along the lines of guitar or drums."

Tenten made her way, along with Sasuke, Naruto, and Minchi, towards the "guitars and drums" section while Neji, Lee, and Naomi filed into the other category. "Good," Asuma said. "Now we pick partners like this: I'd like the rainbow freak (Naruto) to partner up with Shirley Temple (Naomi.) Goddess of the Night (Minchi) will partner with Bushy Brows (do you even have to ask?) and Rapunzel (Neji) will be with Miss Po-the-Panda (Tenten -_-.)

Said Panda's heart sunk.

"What about me?" Sasuke asked.

"Oh yeah," Asuma said, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "It seems we have an odd number of students… You can make a threesome with rainbow freak and Shirley Temple."

Naruto and Sasuke shared a grin.

Neji and Tenten shared a look of pure melancholy.

Lee just grinned.

XXX^.~XXX

"Acting is normally done in pairs," Gai sensei lectured while pacing back and forth.

"This is our acting teacher?" Ino whispered to Sakura in distaste.

"He reminds me of Lee," Sakura whispered back.

"So instead of assigning you to partners, I will assign you to groups. It seems Miss Haruno and Yamanaka are fond of each other. We can't have you two chattering nonsense all summer while I'm trying to teach, so how about we separate the two of you, 'eh?"

"This is summer _camp_, not summer _school_," Sara said. Her red hair matched her personality head on. She was passionate, impatient, beautiful and deadly. Her blue eyes landed on Sakura. Her lip twitched up in a small I've-got-you-covered smile.

"None the less," Gai continued, ignoring the ginger's comment. "Ino, Choji, Tai Lee, and Ohana will make one group and Sakura, Sara, Ichigo, and Rin will make the other. Everyone clear?" When no one answered, Gai's smile faltered. "500 LAPS-NOW!"

XXX-_-XXX

It was a long day. When I finally made it up the hill and to the cabin that afternoon, my legs were so sore that you could have stabbed me with a kitchen knife and I wouldn't have felt it. I opened the door to the cabin and flopped down on my bed, thankful that I had the bottom bunk and didn't have to climb a latter. "That was tiresome," Chiaki said while throwing herself onto her bed.

"I know," I whine. "This is going to be the worst summer ever."

'It's almost as if this is remedial school; for those who've lost their touch in the arts." Chiaki's eyes fall to the floor. "I shouldn't have been so eager for you to sign up. You'd probably be at home, swimming in your pool or watching a movie and eating popcorn, if it weren't for me."

"Exactly," I say, and give a smile. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here at this kick-ass summer camp."

"But it sucks,"

"Nah, it's just the first day. You'll warm up to it."

The door opens and in walks Tenten. Her cheeks are red and her expression is priceless. "What happened to you? Get hit in the face with a rake?" I say, holding myself up on my elbows so I can look at her. She gives me a scowl.

"Nope, but I was paired up with your bastard of a cousin." She answers, throwing off her shoes and climbing into bed.

"I thought you were going to play nice." I say.

"I was, but he's just such a jerk that his mere presence changed my mind." He grunts. "Maybe in my head I can forgive him, but in person it's a whole other story."

"Yeah," Chiaki laughs. "I know what you mean. I once had this friend; her name was Sara. She was really nice and all, but she was a lesbian. We were good friends until I learned she had a crush on me. Then it just started getting weird."

"What's wrong with lesbians?" Tenten says. You can hear the smile in her words.

"Nothing," Chiaki says with a laugh. "But once they start asking what bra size you are, it gets kind of freaky."

We all share a laugh. "Well was she cute?" Tenten asks.

"I don't know," Chiaki says diffidently. "She was pretty, that's for sure. She had long, red hair that was soft and shiny, no matter how many times she killed it with hair dye. Her eyes were a deep blue; I hear she used to have dark blonde hair before she dyed it."

"Well she sounds hot," Tenten mumbles.

"Who sounds hot?" Ino asks as she and Sakura enter the room.

"Just an old friend of mine," Chiaki answers.

"Hey, are we going to eat dinner, or what?" Sakura says.

"I don't know if I'll make it down the hill." I say, unsure.

"What did your mentor make you do?" Sakura asks.

"Singing exercises. My voice is killing me."

"What does that gave to do with your legs?" Tenten asks.

"You're such a cry baby, Hina," Ino says. "Gai made us run 500 hundred laps."

"Woah, wait," Tenten says, shooting up in bed. "You guys got Might Gai?"

"Uh yeah, why?" Sakura says.

"Oh my gosh," Tenten starts to laugh, and it almost makes me chuckle at the way she's rolling around, clutching her tummy.

"If this bed caves in, my ghost is so coming back to haunt you." I warn.

"Oh my gosh," Tenten breathes. Once she's calmed down, she starts again. "Gai is one of my relatives. You guys know Lee, right?" they all nod, Sakura and Ino sharing grimaces. "Well, Lee's my cousin, and Gai is his uncle. So at our stupid family reunion things, I always get stuck on Gai and Lee's team for the sack bag race. It's terrible,"

"I bet," Sakura mumbles.

"That's crazy," Ino says. "I'm so glad you didn't inherit that dumb eye brow thing."

"Or the hair," Sakura adds.

As the two banter on about how disgusting Lee is, my stomach starts to do fancy flips and cannon balls. My head is spinning out of control and I feel as if I'm about to throw up. Colors swirl around me; brilliant shades of red standing out over all and blinding me.

"Hey Hinata," Tenten says. I blink. Tenten's leaning over the side of her bed, looking down at me with a puzzled expression. Her wavy, chestnut hair hangs like a curtain before me, framing her inquiring face. "You okay? You like kind of nauseous?"

Hallelujah to that.

My head bobs up and down as I nod. "Yeah," I say. Everyone's stopped talking to watch me. "I think I'm just a bit hungry."

"Well fine then," Tenten says, and hops off of her bed. She lands on the ground with a thud. "Let's get some grub." The rest of us follow her out the door, and once the door's closed and I'm fully aware of my surroundings, I'm surprised at how cold it is.

"Wow, it's freezing out here." Chiaki says while rubbing her arms vigorously.

"That Anko lady sure wasn't kidding," Sakura mumbled. Ino pulled her in under her wing to keep her warm, and Sakura nestled her cheek against the blonde's chest.

"I wish I had a boyfriend to do that with." Chiaki whispered. I cast her a sideways glance, curious to what she meant. She was watching Ino and Sakura with almost sad eyes.

"I know what you mean," I say.

"Hey," Tenten butts in aggressively. "If you hadn't have thrown that knife at the poor boy's head, then maybe you would have someone to cuddle with."

"Wha-what?" I say, eyes wide and cheeks red. "What are you talking about? Kiba doesn't like me that way."

"Are you stuttering from the cold or because you're embarrassed that someone found out your secret?" Tenten retorts, a wide grin on her face.

"What secret?" I demand.

"That you like Kiba,"

"I do not!"

"Kiba? You mean from our class?" Chiaki interrupts.

"Yeah," I say, turning to her. "He's a big douche,"

"Really? I thought he was kind of cute…"

"So does Hinata," Tenten says with the _you-like-crabby-patties-don't-you-squidward_ smile. I shoot her a death glare.

"Speak of the devil," Ino says. "Look who our neighbors are."

Everyone turns their heads in the direction Ino's pointing in. I stare, slack jawed at the five boys who exit the cabin that's just two miles from ours. Neji, which is a relief since he'll be a lot closer to me when I need his help (and since he has to babysit me-_-) Naruto, Sasuke, Kiba, and Lee.

"Is that the boy you guys were talking about?" Chiaki whispers, as if they could hear us from a mile or so away. Of course, we all presumed the was speaking of Lee, since he was the only one of that group of boys we had been talking about.

"Yeah," Sakura says with a grimace. "That's him; bushy brows and all."

"He doesn't look nearly as disgusting as you made him out to be." She says thoughtfully.

"Well you're watching him from a mile away," Ino says. "Of course he doesn't look as revolting."

"Hey, that's my cousin you're talking about!" Tenten says. "Humans; you're all so disrespectful."

"Like you have any room to talk," Ino mutters.

"What was that, pig?"

"Hey, that's the nickname I gave her," Sakura whined. "Only I can call her that!"

"Get over it, forehead."

"Hey! I take claim for that name." Ino says.

"Hey guys,"

Ino, Sakura, and Tenten stop bantering for a moment to turn to the five boys standing in our path. Lee's eyes are wide as saucers (really, really big saucers, since his eyes are already the size of saucers XD) and his cheeks are tinted pink. His gaze is pointed directly to Chiaki as he says, "Why, who is this beautiful flower before me?"

Chiaki's face heats to a hundred and two degrees, and she lifts a balled up fist to her mouth shyly. "I'm Chiaki," she says softly.

"Chiaki…" Lee repeats dreamily.

Neji was watching me with concerned eyes. I guess the sickness from before was still showing on my face. "Hinata didn't feel well, so we were going down to catch some dinner." Ino explained.

"You don't feel well?" Neji asks.

My cheeks begin to heat as everyone's eyes fall on me; even Kiba's. And when I see his expression, my blood runs cold. His eyes are filled with concern, but the rest of him didn't give away the way he felt. "Yeah," I say nervously, my eyes meeting Neji's. "I was feeling a bit nauseous."

"From listening to yourself sing all day, I bet." Kiba says with a snicker.

Ino raises her eyebrows in shock; I guess her "Mr. Perfect" had been soiled by teenaged hormones while he was in California. Sakura doesn't seem to care, other than the fact that I'm being bashed about my voice, which on the inside, she's probably snickering about too. Tenten and Chiaki are quiet, watching me with tense eyes.

"What's your problem?" I shout.

"What's yours?" he retorts. "Seriously; I've been dying to know since you threw that knife at my head. Are you a psycho or are you schizophrenic?"

"Well what have you got?" I say lamely. "Borderline personality; because you sure act like it!"

"You know what?" Kiba's moved closer to me, so close that I can feel his body heat clash with mine. "I think you're just embarrassed."

"Really?" I say with mock interest, my eyebrows raised. "About what?"

"About me seeing you with such little on." He crosses his arms over his chest. "Admit it, Hinata; you liked it when I saw you in your pajamas, and now you're embarrassed for the way you acted."

I stared at him with a deadpan expression.

"That doesn't even make sense!" I explode.

My arms are flailing in the air above my head. Kiba takes a step back in surprise. "Woah, calm down," he tries, but I'm not listening. I'm mentally preparing myself for a long, drawn out speech. But then my eye catches something shifting in the woods, and my heart turns to a cold puddle in my stomach.

"What was that?" I whisper.

No one else seems to hear me, but Kiba's just close enough that he does. His eyes follow mine to the line of woods beside our cabins. Whatever was watching us shifted again, and before I could even think, I threw myself into Kiba's arms.

"Woah, what's going on?" Naruto says obliviously.

"Something's in the woods." Kiba says.

His arms are wrapped around my form, and I'm surprised to feel his heart beating faster than mine. I'm also surprised that he hasn't pushed me away, or that he's even got his arms around me protectively.

"Wait, what?" Sakura says.

"Campers!"

I jump in Kiba's arms, and he tightens his grip on me. "Campers, what are you doing out in the dark all alone?"

I recognize the voice as Anko's and pull my head out of Kiba's chest. He's looking down at me, an embarrassed look on his face. I blush and turn away. "We aren't alone," Naruto says. "We're with each other."

"Not in the dark, sir," Anko says.

An eerie silence falls over us.

"The dark is a scary place," she says, then grins. "Dinner was an hour ago. We serve it while it's still light outside; but once the suns falls the dining hall closes and it's off to the cabins for everyone."

"So no dinner?" Naruto says, his voice like a little kid's.

"No dinner," Anko says. "Sorry kids; try to make it before dark, okay? Now get back to your cabins. Once the sun has completely vanished, you're going to want to be in those cabins." She turns to leave but stops when Sasuke says:

"Why?"

"Because," she says, her back to us. "Humans can be scary creatures…"

Silence

She gives a bellyaching laugh and then turns back to us. "I'm just pulling your tails," Tenten twists her lips to the side. "It's because when the sun goes down, the moon comes up; the heat vanishes and the cold takes its place. Have you kids felt the temperature drop yet?"

I nod.

"It's bad, isn't it?" she says. She turns on her heel and gives us a salute sign. "Night, kids,"

…

"Hey guys," Tenten says while lying in bed.

"What?"

"Anko said the sun goes down and the moon comes up…"

"Yeah?" Ino says tiredly. "So what?"

"So there's no moon out…"

I glanced out the window. She was right. There was no moon, and I couldn't see a thing out that window.

Just like in my dream.

**A/N:** Hey guys :) Sorry about the ending; I think it was a bit cheesy and sickish but… what can you do? Thanks to those who have commented, and thanks for reading :O Comment and keep enjoying :D


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

**A/N: ** Hey guys :) I'm uploading like I told you I would! Even though I have boat loads of homework -_- but I'm still doing this because I want to try to upload a chapter a day, and being lazy gets no one anywhere.

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

Breakfast wasn't totally bad. They were serving a variety of foods, like eggs, hash browns, bacon, pancakes, waffles, fruit (of course,) and even rice. I had some hot chocolate and a serving of eggs. It was still cold out when the girls and I woke up this morning, and getting up and slipping into a pair of shorts wasn't exactly ideal. But because it was summer camp I had only brought shorts, so unless I wanted to starve the entire time I was here, I would have to get used to the chills.

Although I can't say I was too hungry, even though I had missed dinner last night. Sleeping in that bed had been even worse than having that dream about Natsuko. The colors were swirling around the room and even when I closed her eyes, I could still see them there, haunting me like a naked photo.

And sleeping in a place that someone could possibly have been murdered in gave me uber chills. It was more than I could handle. So I hadn't gotten much sleep last night, which I even sort of praised.

"Are you going to eat that?" Ino asked while looming over my plate of eggs. I nodded and slid the plate of scrambled eggs to her side of the table. I hated scrambled eggs (I only ate sunny-side up,) but for some reason, even when I said no, the cafeteria ladies had given me scrambled eggs with my sunny-side up eggs.

"Thanks," she mumbled with food spilling out of her mouth. I scrunched up my nose in disgust.

"Eat like a lady, would you?"

I looked up at the familiar voice and smiled. Neji took a seat across from me and started to unfold his napkin over his lap. Tenten snorted form beside me. "Really? This isn't a restaurant."

"I only have eight pairs of shorts," Neji said. "I need to keep them clean."

"There are washing machines around here." Chiaki said from beside me. I nodded in agreement.

"Well I'd rather not spill anything on me, okay?" Neji said irritably. Chiaki looked down to her plate of waffles and gave a one sided grin.

"Alright kiddies, listen up!" Anko yells. She's standing on one of the tables, her hands on her hips and a grin on her face. "We've got a big surprise for you guys. At the end of camp, there will be a big party. How does that sound to you guys?"

The whole cafeteria hollered.

"That's what I thought. But this won't be just any party; it'll be more of a dance, like a school dance. And with every school dance comes preparation and planning; decorating, especially. So what we're going to do is arrange you guys into groups of seven to decorate, plan and organize for the dance. But you'll only do that in the afternoons, since this is band camp, after all." Her grin widened. "So everyone file into the lobby so we can assign you into groups." On that note, she climbed down from the table and started off for the lobby.

"A dance?" Ino says.

"I know who my date is." Sakura sings while giving Ino a sly smile.

"I'm leaving," Kiba says, and gets up from the table. My brows merge when I see the frown on his face.

"So soon?" Naruto asks.

"I'm not in a talking mood."

"Hey Hinata," Ino says. I turn to her with a quizzical stare, but my mind is somewhere else. "I think you should go with Kiba."

"Don't be stupid," I say.

"Why not? Did you not see yourself last night?" she remarks. I raise my eyebrows, not understanding what she was getting at. "Oh come on,"

"Your head buried in Kiba's chest; his arms wrapped around you? You two are made for each other." Sakura said.

"I agree," Sasuke said. We all turned to him in shock. He shrugged his shoulders as if him speaking wasn't as big a shocker as everyone made it out to be; even thought it was.

"You just want him out of the way," Tenten teased. Sasuke's hand tightened around his banana, causing the contents to squeeze out and over his fingers. Tenten twisted her lips at the mushed fruit. "It's true; you want Naruto to yourself, and you're afraid Kiba's competition."

"Oh please," Sasuke says with the roll of his eyes. "Like that would happen. I've got Naruto right where I want him." Naruto sent him a nervous look, to which Sasuke grinned.

"I think we should head down to the lobby," I say, and start to stand. Just as I do though, I bump into someone from behind me. I turn around on my heel, and apologetic look already replacing my usual timid expression. "Sorry," I say. "I didn't mean to bump into you."

The girl gives me a funny laugh. "No problem, girl," she says. Her blue eyes give me a sense of reassurance before they dart to meet someone else's. "Hey Sakura; I didn't know you sat here." Chiaki stands up too, and gives me an odd look. I tilt my head in question when the girl catches her eye and pauses in midsentence to whatever she was saying.

"Chiaki?" she asks. My eyes dart between the two as an awkward silence fills the space that should have held Chiaki's reply. The girl clears her throat. "How have you been?"

"Fine," she says. "I see you've met Sakura."

The girl's eyes light up and a smile graces her sparkly red lips. "Yeah; we're in the same group in thespian." Chiaki nods slowly, her eyes never once leaving the girl's. And then it clicks in my mind. This was Sara, the girl Chiaki was telling us about.

"Oh, your name is Sara, right?" I say. Her eyes find mine and her smile widens.

"Yeah; how'd you know? Did Sakura tell you? Or did Chiaki?" she sends the two girls a mysterious grin.

"Uh, I don't really remember which one told me." I lie. Chiaki sends me a thankful look.

"Ok then," Sara says. "I'll get going. See you guys around." She waves at Sakura and then leaves the group, catching Chiaki's eye as she passes.

"That was awkward," Naruto says.

"Yeah," Ino agrees.

…

"Thanks," I say and take my folded sheet of paper from Anko.

"Which group are you in?" Tenten asks eagerly.

"Hold on," I unfold the paper and peer inside.

_Hinata _

_Ohana_

_Chiaki_

_Sasuke_

_Lee_

_Natsuko_

_Naomi_

"Sorry," I say, my face falling. "We aren't in the same group. Tenten snaps her fingers.

"Dammit," she says. "The only times I'll ever get to see you is at night. And you're always in a bad mood when we're in the cabin." She sticks out her bottom lip in a pout.

"Sorry," I say. I glance back down at the paper. At least Sasuke and Chiaki were in my group. And Ohana, but I didn't really talk to her very much. But then my eyes fall back down to Natsuko's name, and knots begin to form in my stomach. I'd be with Natsuko more than anyone else during camp, and I couldn't decide whether that was a good thing or not.

On one hand, I could get some information out of her. I could also try to warn her about the danger she could possibly be in; but I highly doubt she'd listen. In fact, she'd probably find me even crazier than Lee.

But on the other hand, Natsuko sent chills down my spine. One minute she was laughing and the next she was holding a knife through her eyes. I was scared out of my mind to be near her. What if I said something wrong and she pulled a "Tenten" on me?

(A "Tenten": When you say something that makes her angry [jokes about animal abuse] and she pulls out her daggered glare or her fists.)

"Hinata," Chiaki calls while running up to me enthusiastically. Her curly hair is swaying from side to side like tumbleweed (expect her hair is luscious, and not dried out XD.) "We're in the same group!" she gives me a toothy grin and I return it.

"I know," I say. "And Ohana is in it, too."

"Yeah," she nods. "I haven't spoken with her since sign up. I wonder if she likes it here."

"It's only been a night," Tenten points out.

"Yeah, I know,"

"Hey guys," Sakura says.

"Who's in your group?" Chiaki asks.

"Uh," Sakura unfolds her paper. "Kiba, Naruto, Ino, Minchi, Sara, and me."

"Sara?" she repeats.

"Yeah," Sakura refolds her paper. "Why?" Chiaki shrugs, but I can see the way her eyes fall to the floor. Either she was jealous (because she likes Sara?) or she was worried. I couldn't tell, but I was worried either way. We all knew how jealous Ino got, especially of pretty girls; and it wasn't everyday a pretty lesbian showed up. It also wasn't everyday that Sakura was nice to people, which meant trouble.

"Okay guys," Anko calls. "Now that you've all gotten your schedules, I want you to go ahead and go to your courses. Have fun!"

We separated, Chiaki and I finding our way out of the crowd together and heading down to the choir hall. When we entered the room, there were already two people inside: Kiba and Natsuko. I grab a hold of Chiaki's shirt and pull her back from the door. A squeal escapes her lips, causing Kiba and Natsuko to turn to the door with puzzled expressions.

I hold my breath and wait for them to turn back. They do, taking a moment to laugh first. "What are we doing?" Chiaki whispers from beside me.

What were we doing? I had no idea.

"Uh…"

"Yeah…" Natsuko said, rubbing at her wrists awkwardly. I strained to hear from behind the glass. "So do you have a girlfriend?"

My arms start to tingle, which feels both hot and cold. I grit my teeth, waiting for the answer.

"Nah," he says. "I mean, I have someone in mind, but I'd never ask them out."

"Them?" Natsuko reiterates. Chiaki's eyes widen and a wrinkle creases between her brows.

"Well…"

"What are you two doing?"

I jump when someone taps me on the shoulder. Their voice is full of question, and when I turn around to face them I almost laugh. It's Lia, with her fair, almost white hair and grey eyes. Chiaki jumps up to greet her, a smile replaces the worried look on her face. "Lia," she says. "We were just… I lost my contacts." Chiaki pretends to place something in her eye and then blinks.

"Did you seriously just put that in your eye?" Lia asks.

~Facepalm~

"Yeah; why?" Chiaki says obliviously.

"Because," Lia's eyes dart from suspiciously me to Chiaki. "It just fell on the floor. That's not sanitary; you should throw it away."

Chiaki's eyes widen. "Oh gosh, you're right." she pretends to take it out. I almost roll my eyes but stop myself. Wasn't it obvious she wasn't pulling anything out? "Thanks,"

"Well," Lia says slowly. "It doesn't matter now, since you've already contaminated your eye."

It was quiet in the hall.

"Whatever," Lia says, and opens the door.

"Nice going," I whisper as we follow her inside.

"Sorry," she says. "You didn't think of anything."

"I could have, if you hadn't jumped up so quickly. How long have you been dying to do that one?" I crack a smile, which makes Chiaki blush.

"Shut up," she says.

Kiba catches my eye as I take a seat in "my spot." I avert my gaze, which only makes things worse since I catch Natsuko's eye. She's glaring daggers at me, except when our eyes meet, she turns her frown upside down and takes her seat. I purse my lips.

"Okay guys," Kurenie says and takes her spot behind her podium. "Today we're going to practice singing together, as a group. Let's practice the scale first."

_Do_

_Re_

_Mi_

_Fa_

_Sol_

_La_

_Ti_

_Do_

…

"Tenten, which instrument fascinates you?" Asuma asks. Tenten shrugs.

"A lot, I guess," she says. "I'd really like to learn to play guitar, though."

"And rock out?" Neji whispers while mimicking her and Hinata's pose from the other night. Tenten's lips lift up in a smile, but she forces herself to glare at him instead.

"That's great," Asuma says. "Neji," he turns to the stoic Hyuga beside Tenten, who is acting as if he hadn't been making stupid gestures. Asuma gives him an odd look, which lasts a second. "Which instrument would you like to learn to play?"

"The piano," he says.

"Good; the piano has a beautiful voice,"

"Voice?" Naruto says dumbly.

"Okay, raise your hand if you can already play an instrument."

Tenten's hand shot up. Neji turned to look at her, his brows furrowing slightly. Her hand was the only one raised, which Asuma seemed to take an interest to. "Which instrument do you play, Tenten?"

"The cello, viola, violin, piano, trombone, flute, and African drums."

Everyone was quiet.

"Then why are you in this group?"

"Because," Tenten says. "I don't know how to play guitar or drums, the only instruments I'd really like to play. Those other instruments are useless to me."

"Because you want to rock out." Neji says.

It wasn't a question; it was a statement.

…

"Group exercise: stand with your groups in a circle." Ino slipped her hand from Sakura's to follow her group to the other side of the room. She cast her a sad look, to which Sakura just smiled. The pinkette turned to her group, casting a smile towards Sara.

"I want one person to make an expression It could be sad, funny, mad, happy-whatever," Gai said. "Then everyone else has to mimic it. Let's start with Ino in this group and Ichigo in this group."

Ichigo stuck his tongue out and narrowed his eyes to slits. Sakura pressed her lips together, not wanting to look stupid. Taking part in activities, especially stupid ones, weren't for her. Sara stuck her tongue out at Sakura and narrowed her eyes. Her pools of azure ore into Sakura's emerald ones and Sakura smiled, complying with the idiocy.

…

"What is this stuff?" Tenten whispers while leaning into me. She's in a particularly good mood right now, for some reason I have yet to find out.

"I don't know," I say back. "Maybe mac and cheese?"

Tenten shrugs and piles some on her plate. "Well don't take it if you don't know what it is!" I exclaim with a grin.

"Oh, whatever," she says. "I'm in the mood to eat, since I missed dinner last night."

"Don't say it as if it's my fault," I say.

"But it kind of was…"

"How?"

"I see you got here early today." Someone says from behind us. I turn around to see Neji. Tenten doesn't though, too busy with examining the food before her.

"Yeah," I say. "Because it was obviously my fault that we hadn't eaten last night." Tenten gives me a sheepish smile and slinks off to our table. "So, what's up?"

"Actually," he says, and piles some fried green beans on his plate. "I was going to talk to Tenten, but I guess that'll have to wait."

"Oh really," I say, my eyebrows raising. "What about?"

"I wanted to ask her about her profession with piano. Maybe I can learn to play faster if she teaches me."

"So you've found out," I suspire. "She doesn't seem like such a slob now, does she?"

"Just because she can play instruments, it doesn't mean she's classy." He points out.

"But did you notice how she only plays classy instruments? No guitar, no drums, no rocking out." I begin to stick out my tongue and mimic my gesture from earlier when he stops me.

"Please," he says. "I've had enough of that for one day."

"Whatever," I say, and he heads off to the table. I pile on a piece of fried chicken before following after him. Just as I'm about to sit down though, I catch Anko and a man watching a table from the corner of the cafeteria. They're pointing to one person in particular. I follow their gazes to the target.

Ohana

What were they talking about?

Anko lifts herself onto her toes and plants a kiss on the man's cheek. He gives her a soft smile before exiting the cafeteria. She's left with a lingering smile on her lips, her dark eyes roaming the room. And then her eye catches mine, and she narrows her gaze.

I take my seat quickly and pretend to be speaking with Ino, but the poor girl's lips are turned down in a frown.

Uh-oh

"What's wrong, Ino?" I ask.

She looks up at me with watery, blue eyes. "I don't know," she huffs.

"You don't know why you're sad?" Naruto asks, as if her stamen was stupid… Which it was…

"Can it, rainicorn," Ino snaps. Naruto holds up two hands in surrender.

"Come on," I say. "You can tell me."

"I already said, I don't know why I'm angry."

"You're angry?" I ask.

"Ugh," she groans. "Will you just forget it? Please?"

I mimic Naruto's gesture and take a bite of my chicken. And when I look back up, Anko's gone.

**A/N: **Hey guys :) Sorry if that wasn't so good, or if it was too short. But I have to exercise right now, before it's too late. I'm on a new diet plan (not because I'm fat, but because I have cellulite.) It's supposed to tone your legs and ass in thirty days, so I'll have super model legs

-_- Hah, yeah right.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

**A/N: **Hey guys :) Sorry I didn't upload yesterday :( Or the day before :( Or the day before that :( I was really busy with chores and exercising (since I ate three slices of pizza, an ice cream bar, a roasted marshmallow, a chicken leg, squash and scalloped potatoes . I don't eat lunch at school.) And I had a doctor appointment yesterday… But I'm still sticking to my update-a-chapter-a-day thing. I won't be able to post Saturday because I have to type up a story for my history teacher. And starting May 14, I won't be able to upload because I have two weeks of testing. After that though, it's summer and I can write 'til my heart's content! So let's get it started in here (let's get retarded in here ;))

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

"I say we order a chocolate fountain," Naomi suggests. I cast her a sideways glance. My first impression of Naomi? Brat. She was a trash white rich girl who bit more than she could chew and the way she flirted with all of the guys made me sick. Her hair was just as curly, if not curlier than Shirley Temple's, which is what everyone's been calling her, though she doesn't seem to partake in the fun.

"No way," Ohana disagrees. "We can only use what we already have in the storage room from past dances. We can't just buy new things as if this were a school. We aren't fundraising, so where would we get the money?"

"Calm the hell down," Naomi says with a huff. Chiaki and I share a look, and I knew we were thinking the exact same thing. Ohana raises her eyebrows at the blonde, but before she can say anything back, Natsuko is interjecting.

"I say we just make a list of what we can order. Like food and drinks." She says.

"I agree," Sasuke says in his usual nonchalant manner. The corner of Natsuko's lip lifts up slightly.

"Okay," Ohana says, nodding and jotting down their ideas.

"And what about dresses?" Chiaki asks. Ohana looks up with wide eyes.

"Oh yeah," I say. "No one knew there would be a dance. What will everyone wear?"

"How about we do something creative?" Lee suggests. We all turn to him, even though I can tell no one is taking him serious. "Like, we could make our own clothes."

"Out of what?" Naomi asks sourly. Lee, being the oblivious and flippant person he is, continued as if she hadn't even said anything.

"We could make dresses out of tape."

"Oh yeah," Chiaki says excitedly. "I heard about this one school that did that. Whoever made a dress out of tape got a scholarship."

"That sounds interesting," Ohana says thoughtfully. "Let's add it,"

"You mean we all have to make our own clothes?" Sasuke asks.

"Yeah; how fun could that be?" Naomi adds.

"I think it would be fun," I say. "We could order different colored tape; even some with sparkles on it."

"I like that," Ohana says, pointing her pen towards me.

"You expect me to wear tape? Wouldn't that pull out my hair?" Naomi argues, unable to let the subject go even though she's already lost.

"Don't you know how to shave?" Natsuko says.

Naomi's cheeks heat as her face falls in an infuriated frown. "I wasn't talking about my legs,"

"Then wear underwear,"

…

My first impression of Natsuko was nice, clean, probably a straight A's and B's student, who was popular amongst both boys and girls. Of course it changed when Chiaki informed me of her bipolar personality, which then I took back my thoughts of her being nice, although she was probably everything else I had assumed she was.

Ohana was pretty zealous; what with the determination to always get her jobs done and to make sure everything was in order so everyone could have a good time-making sure everyone got their say in something, and all was fair. She was gorgeous, too, I had to admit. Her boyfriend was Gaara, a red headed boy who acted very much like Sasuke. He was quiet and discreet, but when you got him riled up he could take on a whole fleet of soldiers, I swear. He was scary.

Sasuke had had a small crush on Gaara back in middle school, but once word got out he was forced to seclude himself from others and get over the inkling of love he felt for the redhead. That's where Naruto came in. Once Naruto had heard of Sasuke's being gay, he came out as well, which both surprised and enlightened Sasuke. The raven haired boy admired him for being so brave and doing something he himself was too craven to do. But he also resented him for being emotionally stronger and more stable. But then somehow, Naruto managed to win over his heart, and it was written in the stars ever since then.

I still haven't learned very much about Kiba yet. What I do know is what Naruto and Ino have told me; he's an animal lover, very affectionate, would never say anything perverted about a girl, sweet, caring, smart, exc. And although I can't say Ino and Naruto are liars, I have yet to be enlightened by all of those good attributes, since he hasn't shown a single one of them yet.

It was late afternoon when I knocked on Neji's cabin door. The sun was setting behind me, the pool of gold sinking faster than I would have liked. It cast a peachy glow on the clouds, which reflected it to the trees and grass, making them look almost sugarcoated.

Neji opens the door with a small frown. I can see the question in his eyes: how did you know I would be here? Well that one was a no-brainer. I knew that on every Tuesday afternoon, Neji settled down in a quiet place to read one of his books. Tenten always made fun of him for it, but as far as she knew he had stopped back in middle school (Neji had made me promise to keep it a secret form her to escape the harassment, which I suppose he did deserve.)

"May I help you?" He says through gritted teeth. I give him a lopsided grin, just to get on his nerves. But he isn't the only one that's in a PMS kind of mood. It was my cabin. I couldn't sleep in it-not with all of the auras surrounding me, suffocating me. Haunting smells and hues of the dead seemed to wrap their brightly lit senses around my body and squeeze.

"We need to talk." I say, all business now.

"I don't know," Neji says, his eyes darting to the sun setting behind me. "It'll be dark soon. Anko says no walking in the dark, and you know the guys will be back soon if the sun is setting. Don't let those kinds of things slip your mind."

_Right, mom, sorry._

"It'll only take a second," I say, my voice taking on a whiny tone. Neji rolls his eyes and takes a step to the side so I can come in. I take a look around, my eyes making one huge sweep. Their cabin room looked exactly like ours; two bunks and one single bed, a few dressers, a closet, and a bathroom. Only there was one difference: their room was a mess. At least, on one side of the room, anyway.

One of the top bunks had clothes draped over the sides and even more clothes pooled on the floor, which didn't even make sense since we had only been here for two days. There were cookie and candy wrappers scattering the top bunk and beneath the covers I could see a magazine with a man on it; porn for women.

It must have been Naruto's. There was no way Sasuke was that messy.

I shudder.

On the other side though, the bunk is neat. The two beds are made and the only things on them are, on the top, a magazine for hairstyling, which I guessed was Lee's; and on the bottom, a pillow with the name Akamaru stitched to it, which I guessed was Kiba's. Neji, of course, occupied the single bed, and it was the neatest one of them all.

"Disgusting, isn't it?" Neji says as he takes a seat on his bed. His eyes are cast towards Naruto's bed. I grin in response and take a seat on Kiba's bunk, because I know if he were here he would be uber mad about it. Neji was watching me skeptically, and even though my eyes were trained on the small, purple pillow in my lap, I could still see his eyes flicker from my face to my hands, which fumbled with the stitching. "Whenever you're ready," he says, and leans back in his bed, arms folded beneath his head.

I chew on my bottom lip. The boys' cabin didn't have any auras whatsoever. It had a refreshing cleanliness to it, and it made me comfortable. I almost didn't want to leave. Hadn't there been at least one bug to die in this room? Either I could only see human auras or the boys had a really nice cabin. Which meant only one thing. If I could see only human auras that must mean that someone had died in my cabin. More than one person, at that.

"My cabin…" I start. My eyes fly up to Neji, but he has his eyes closed. I wonder if I'm talking to myself. "The cabin is filled with auras."

He opens his eyes slowly, deliberately. "Go on," he says.

"Well," I say. I set the pillow down, afraid I might pull out all of the stitching from my nervousness. "I'm seeing red and green auras."

"Red is murder and green is accidental, am I correct?" he asks. I nod. "Go on,"

"There isn't just one red or green aura, though." I continue. "There's more than one. At first I thought it might just be the aura of a dead mouse or cockroach, but now I'm second guessing."

"And why is that?" he's sitting up now, listening more intently. I swallow.

"Because your cabin doesn't have a single aura," I say. When Neji gives me a dumbfounded look, I sigh. "What's the probability that a single bug or mouse hadn't died in this room? I think it's a million to one." I lick my lips, my eyes darting to the door nervously. I can see the sun setting behind the trees now, and the once peachy sky has turned a deep purple. "I can't see animal auras, can I?"

"You're the only one who could tell," he says.

He's right. No one else shares my gift; it's impossible for someone else to know how I feel. I'm the only one who could tell which auras belonged to which beings. It was up to me and me alone. But the problem was that I had never run into this problem. I've been in the woods before. I've walked around the outskirts of these woods before, too. And I've never, not once, seen the aura of a dead animal, which pretty much solves the case.

Someone had been murdered in there. And someone else had also been accidentally killed. That meant one thing. I had to find out about the history of this camp. I had to check the records; I had to see if anything unusual had gone on here. And I think I knew the perfect person to be my detective partner. Someone with brains, who had a big heart and a thirst for finding the truth; someone who couldn't let down a lady; someone who needed, and wanted to gain my trust. Someone who had just walked through the door.

Neji and I turn to the open door, Kiba standing bemused, with the soft golden light casting a glow to his already golden brown locks. His eyes narrow when he sees me on his bed. "What are you doing?" he asks, and closes the door behind him. The angel affect it had had before was now gone, and he looked nothing but pissed.

"Where are the others?" Neji asks. Kiba turns to him briefly, letting him know they're still in the dining hall, before turning back to me, waiting for an answer. But I don't give him one. At least, not directly.

"Kiba, I need your help." I say. Neji casts me a weary look, but Kiba's expression is a bit more puzzled.

"Is that why you're here?" he asks.

"U-huh," I say, a bit more cheerfully than necessary; I was trying to jump the gun before Neji got a chance to tell Kiba that I was not, in fact, here for the "animal lover." I take his wrist and pull him towards the door. "Come on," I say. I open the door and Kiba follows me out, though it's not like he has a choice.

We stand outside the cabin for a few moments; both of us are fidgeting, our eyes darting around and fixing on something other than each other; the trees, the window, where Neji watches us peculiarly, the sky. Finally, I take the initiative to speak, since in the distance I can see Ino, Sakura, Tenten, and Chiaki walking back from dinner.

"Can you do me a…" my voice trails off when the girls enter the cabin. They'd for sure be asking questions as to where I was when I got back.

"Did you just ask me to do you?" Kiba asks.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts by the sound of his voice. My eyes meet his, and as his words register, my cheeks heat to a million degrees. "What? NO!" I say, a bit loudly.

"Then what?" he gives me an odd look.

I take a breath and start over. "I need your help," I say.

"Yeah, I got that," he says, his eyes finding mine. They are, I note, beautiful, especially in the setting sun. But the sun had almost disappeared, and the chill has already found itself to us. "What's this all about?"

"You don't…hate me, do you?" I ask. Kiba's cheeks flush a little, and he averts his gaze once more. "Well, do you?" I ask.

"No," he says.

"Great," I give him a small smile. "So would you like to make up?"

Kiba seems to stare at me for a long time, as if the question was stupid. But then he runs a hand through his hair and gives a little grunt. "I still don't see why you hate me so much. I mean, I'm not the one who through the knife."

I bit my tongue. "Okay," I say, trying to find the right pace of breath. "I get that; I was wrong to throw the knife. But you need to understand," I'm the one to turn my gaze to the ground this time. "I have strong feelings for perverts."

"Hinata," he sighs. "I'm not a pervert. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Then why did you tell me I was beautiful and all of that other crap?" he opens his mouth to answer, but I'm not finished. "Would you walk up to a random girl and tell her that? If you claim you aren't perverted, then you wouldn't, right?"

Kiba gives me a second to recollect myself, and then he starts. "I only said it because it was the truth," my cheeks begin to heat. "I wouldn't walk up to a random girl and say that, no. But I would say it to a girl that I found some sort of connection with."

My heart stutters.

"Connection?" I repeat.

"Well, I mean…" Kiba scratches the back of his head nervously. But my mind starts to wander when I notice the sun is gone, and the chill is full on now. I'm shivering.

"Kiba," I say. Something rustles in the bushes and my heart flutters. "I know how you can repay me."

"What?" his eyebrows shoot up, and the look in his eyes is close to anger. "Repay you? For what? If anything, you should be repaying me for nearly blinding and or killing me."

"Kiba, I don't have time to argue," I say. He looks up to the sky and his lips tighten in a frown. "I need you to do some detective work, if you're up to it."

"Detective work?" he reiterates. "For what?"

"For me… I have a problem, and if you'd like, I want you to be my partner."

"Well…" Kiba looks behind his shoulder when the sound of laughter drifts over to us. Lee, Sasuke, and Naruto are walking up the hill, almost to the front of the cabin. He turns back to me, eyes big with urgency. "Uh…sure…"

"Kay," I say, my face lighting up. "Thanks a lot, Kiba. It means so much."

He smiles; a small, modest smile. And then I'm off, fleeing back to my cabin at full speed so I can get there before "hall monitor Anko" comes along and finds me. I pass by the other boys on my way back to the cabin, and Naruto stops me. "Hey Hinata," he calls. I stop, my heels digging into the earth. I give him a hurry-the-hell-up look. "What were you doing?"

"I was making up with Kiba," I say quickly. I turn my attention to the sky. The sun is gone and all I can see is a light cobalt; the clouds are gone too.

"Really?" His whole face lights up like a Christmas tree. "That's awesome,"

"Yeah, I know," I say.

"Tenten," Lee says.

AW, WHAT?

"Yeah, Lee?" I say as sweetly as possible. He gives me a shy smile.

"Tell Chiaki I said hello."

My heart sinks low in my chest, and I can feel my urge to rush back t the cabin dissipating. I smile at him, a genuine smile. "I will," I say.

…

He had been wrong. She wasn't just talented at swimming; she was amazing at so much more. She was great when it came to giving directions and making sure everyone got their fair share of "idea time," so she called it. She was great at caring for people. She would have made a great wife. But alas, she was no more than a toy; no more than a piece in his game.

She was in one of the cabins by the woods, which was perfect. It would be so easy to dispose of the body. It wouldn't be much of a walk, although she didn't look too heavy. He estimated about one hundred and twenty six pounds. He could carry her, no problem.

It was the witnesses he was most worried about. How would he be able to get in and out without anyone else seeing him, or hearing her screams? He would need to get her alone. It would take immense planning, which he always hated. His heart sped up every time he thought about her, every time he pictured her in his head.

He would get too excited whenever he planned, but it had to be done if he wanted to execute it perfectly. This year would be no different from the last. He had been waiting ten years to have this opportunity. He hadn't been able to touch one of them since that last time, ten years ago. He had been planning since then. He had been looking for the perfect one. And he had found her.

But there was only one problem.

When she wasn't with her friends, she was with her boyfriend, the red headed one. Sure, he might look menacing but he was nothing much. He was one of those "dark ones," as he liked to call them. Others called them emo, but he didn't find that quite as suitable.

He drew on himself with eyeliner and make up; he cut himself; he wore nothing but black, and occasionally red; and there was no way his hair was naturally that color. All "dark ones" dyed their hair. It was a fact. He had never had as nice hair as any of them. No one could have that kind of hair without having done something to it. That was one of the things that upset him most. But he tried not to let it get to him. Instead, he focused on the girls.

Not the ones who dyed their hair as well, and not the "dark ones," either. He preferred the naturally beautiful. Like the one before him.

**A/N: **Ok, so I hope you all enjoyed that :) That one little dialogue: "Can you do me a…"/ "Did you just as me to do you?"- LOL it happened with me and my crush. It was hilarious. Anyways, hope you enjoyed. Comment :D


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

**A/N: **Hey guys :) I hope you all are enjoying this story, and if you are then SPREAD THE WORD XD I need more readers, so tell everyone you know who likes KibaHina or Nejiten… So anyways, comment and, as always, enjoy :D

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

I've always liked sunny days. You know the kind of days where the sun peeks through the clouds and casts a brilliant glow upon the grass; the water sparkles as if it were champagne; the leaves on the trees glisten, a bright emerald.

While Tenten has always preferred the downcast days; dark grey clouds, looming over the heads that bob up and down, awaiting the rain that's sure to come; warm gusts of wind that carry with them a kind of humidity in the air that lets you know it will, in fact, rain; sun that peers dully through the thicket of clouds.

That was what today was like. Downcast, gloomy, and perfectly fit for a camp like this one.

"Today we're going to practice something called singing," Kurenie says sardonically. "I'm sure you've all heard of it from somewhere, although it's pretty foreign to this class, huh?"

The "class" (if you could call this group of eight or so people a class,) snickered. Even though we've only been here for three days, we haven't sung a single note, if you don't count the first day. "So we're going to get into our groups and sing a little. How does that sound? Duets, everyone?"

I glance at Natsuko. I was a bit nervous to finally have to work with her, but after her performance yesterday with Naomi, I was willing to give her a shot. Everyone rose from their seats to sit beside their partners. Natsuko rose from her seat quickly and made her way to me. "Oh," I say as she takes a seat. "I could have come to you."

"No need," she grins.

"Alright, I'm going to pass around this hat filled with index cards." Kurenie says, raising her voice over the murmurs of partners. "Each card has a song on it, and between the two of you, you can pick out who gets to sing which parts. They're all duets, so everyone will get a part. And once you've gotten your song, come to me and I'll give you each the lyrics and CD."

The hat started at the other side of the circle, Chiaki being the first to reach her hand in and pick a card. Natsuko elbows me in the side. "Hey, Hinata," she whispers. My eyes dart to hers, and my stomach flips. She's watching me oddly, like an animal that is unsure whether they want to eat their prey or play with it.

"What do you think of Sasuke?"

I blink. I definitely wasn't expecting that one. I might have been expecting something along the lines of _I get to pick my part _or _Do you like Kiba?_ But I was definitely _not _expecting that. I press my lips together tightly. "Um, I don't know," I say slowly. The hat is passed to Natsuko, but she ignores it. Her eyes are trained on me.

"Um…" my eyes dart between her and the hat in Kiba's hands. He gives me a strange look, and I shrug. "He's a nice person, I guess. We're not close-"

"I mean, does he have a girlfriend?" she asks, her voice pressing. I shrink back.

"No," I say quietly. She smiles.

"I didn't really think so," she says. "He doesn't hang out with many girls, other than you and your crew. And he looks like someone who would date a girl that's chill, you know? Not like other girls."

I narrow my gaze. What was that supposed to mean? Was she trying to be discreet about what she just said?

She takes the hat from Kiba and reaches in. "Oh cool," she says while reading the card. "Total Eclipse of the Heart," she hands me the card and then stands up to take the hat back to Kurenie.

"So Hinata," Kiba says while leaning towards me. My eyes slowly find his, my mind still nebulous from Natsuko's words. "When do you want to play detective?"

…

Two brunettes sat beside each other on the front steps of the boy's cabin. Each one held in their hands a chicken wrap, cans of soda lying idly around them. Neji Hyuga leans back with the support of his hands and smiles in content. "You know, Tenten," he says. Said brunette glances at him. "You aren't as bad as I might have said you were."

Tenten fingers the wrap in her hands, her lips twisting to the side. "Yeah…" she says.

"And I'm sorry for what I said… a couple nights back. I'm truly sorry, Tenten; I'm not making this up so I can get it over with or so you'll stop sending me glares in class." Neji catches her gaze and holds it for a long, steady moment. "I'm really sorry."

She grins at him; a genuine, toothy smile. "Neji," she exhales. Her eyes follow an invisible bird to the sky and she keeps her gaze there, as to not meet his. "It's okay… That's over and done with. And besides, I've already forgiven you."

Neji's eyebrows meet in confusion. "You have?" he asks. She nods, the two auburn buns atop her head bobbing. "But when?"

She laughs. "I forgave you…when you said it."

"Said it? But you were mad at me… How could you have forgiven me?"

Tenten sighs and stands up. "It's simple, Hyuga," she says. She stuffs the last of her wrap into her mouth and chews. "No woman can stay mad at the man she…" Tenten bites her lip and swallows. "Admires," Her feet hit the ground and she starts jogging.

"Wait," Neji outstretches a hand, and Tenten stops. "Where are you going?"

"Back to the cabin," she calls. "It's going to rain soon…"

He watched her go for quite some time. In fact, he watched her until she was safely inside her cabin, the door shut and locked. He sighed. _Someone she admires, huh? Not likes? _

…

"Hey guys," Ino takes a seat beside me with a false smile, her eyes scanning the crowd. Her plate is filled to the top with Oreos, and we all know what that means. "Hey, where are Neji and Tenten?"

"They're having lunch at the cabin," I say while popping a strawberry into my mouth.

"You can do that?"Her eyes are wide with question, but I can see the boredom behind them.

"Yeah, I guess. Though neither Tenten nor Neji care really about rules…"

"I should have done that…" she murmurs.

"Where's Sakura?" Naruto asks. I shoot him a warning look, one that says _no-man's land!_ But Ino just shrugs and breaks apart her cookie. Her tongue glides over the filling for a moment, and then she answers.

"She's sitting with Sara today…"

So that was it. Ino always ate Oreos when she was upset, and being the jealous blond she is, Sara asking Sakura to eat lunch with her would make her rather upset. But what I didn't understand was why Ino had actually let her eat with Sara. "Why is that?" I ask.

Ino shrugs again and sets down her cookie. "I think I'm going to take these to go…" she says, and rises from the table. I watch as she takes her plate of Oreos and stalks out of the cafeteria. My eyes immediately travel to Sara's table to see if Sakura had noticed; she hadn't. I shook my head solemnly.

Just then, Kiba took a seat across from me. "Hey," he said with a grin. I smiled back, a blush dusting my cheeks at the way his nose crinkled when he grinned and the way his eyes squinted. "So when are we doing this thing?" he asks, his voice almost a whisper. I shrug.

"After group planning, I guess." I say.

Kiba takes the grilled cheese from his plate and takes a bite. He pushes the half-chewed sandwich to the side of his mouth and says, "We don't have group planning today."

"Really? Why not?" I ask.

"It's raining," someone answers for him. I look and find a tall guy wearing a green shirt and khaki shorts; his hair is tied up in a high pony tail and his arm is wrapped around the shoulders of a girl I know all too well. Her name is Temari, and she is Gaara's sister. She and Ohana are really good friends, and they're both older than me.

Kiba swallows. "Yeah, classes are canceled whenever it rains."

"That's so stupid," Sasuke says. "They're already teaching us at such a slow pace, and now they're going to call off class because it's raining? Our performances at the end of the year are going to suck ass."

"I know, right?" Naruto says. "I wouldn't want my dad seeing me kill a set of drums… Especially not after our bet…" Sasuke rolls his eyes.

"How's Ino doing?" Temari asks. My gaze turns back to her, and I'm surprised to find her eyes on me. I press my lips together.

"She's alright…" I say hesitantly.

"I saw her storm out of here all mad," Temari says. Her voice implies that she isn't as oblivious as I think. I shrug, my face heating with embarrassment. "Anyway," she says, taking a seat across from me, beside Kiba. Her boyfriend takes his spot beside her. "What's going on?"

Kiba shifts uncomfortably in his spot as Temari elbows him. He scoots to the right, a sour frown on his face. "Just trying to eat," he mumbles before taking a bite of his pickle. Temari turns to him.

"Hey, I know you," she says, eyes lighting up. Kiba gives her an odd look, his eyes darting to me. "You went to that boarding school over in Cali, right?"

"Uh, yeah," Kiba says awkwardly.

"How do you know Kiba?" Naruto asks. I catch Sasuke giving Naruto a discreet glare, but it's gone as soon as it came. Temari grins.

"I go there almost every summer. Cali is like Suna's native sister," Temari says. Her turquoise eyes gleam. "Kiba worked at the pet shop. My friends and I liked to visit there every once in a while. There was a certain puppy I had my eyes on." She sighs. "Kiba was really great with the animals. They all loved him, as if he actually _was_ animal-the dogs especially."

My eyebrows raise. Alright, so that's, what, two things he's proved capable of?

"Hinata," Kiba whispers. My eyes find his and he smiles. "No class today… wanna' get started on our treasure hunt?" I nod.

Just as I'm about to stand though, Temari turns to me. "Hey," she says. I pause. Her eyes are searching, as if there was something she was looking for and it was hidden in the contours of my face. "You're Hinata, right?" I nod. "Yeah…" she licks her lips. "I've heard about you."

I bite the inside of my cheek, my head nodding on its own accord. There's a moment of awkward silence, and then Kiba taking my plate snaps me into reality. My eyes catch his, and he gives me a gesturing nod. I follow him to the counter where he sets our two plates, and then we head out the doors. Just as we exit though, I turn back to Sara's table. She and Sakura are laughing, doubled over with red cheeks. The doors close behind me.

…

It's raining when Kiba and I start our walk to the lobby. It's a light sprinkle, but it's cold outside, and I'm only wearing jean shorts and a baby blue tank top. Kiba turns to me, his eyes questioning. "So just what are we looking for, exactly?" My heart pauses in mid-beat.

Should I tell Kiba about what it is we're searching for? I'd hate to leave him out, especially since he is helping me, but this wasn't a history project; this was something bigger that had to be kept secret. I breathe a sigh through my nose. "Kiba…" he raises an inquiring brow. "Would you say this camp is odd?"

He gives me an amused side smile. "Yeah," he says. "In a strict and even creepy kind of way. Why?"

"What would you think if someone told you someone was, I don't know, murdered here?"

When he gives me a bemused look, I fumble for different words, to clear it all up before he leaves me alone in the rain to scavenge for clues by myself. "No, I mean, what if someone was…hurt here? Or someone went missing? Ghost activity, even."

"Uh…" Kiba shrugs. "I can see the ghost activity, but someone dying here?" he shakes his head. "I don't know."

"Okay," I say.

"So where are we headed?"

I stop. Kiba's still walking, not having noticed that I'm not beside him anymore. When he does notice though, he gives me a sheepish smile and backtracks. "What?" he asks.

"I don't know," I say. "About your fist question, I mean. I don't know where we're going…" Kiba studies me for a moment, his golden brown eyes glued to my milky ones. And then he lifts his face to the sky, and I can see the raindrops rolling down his cheeks, catching in his lashes.

"What are we searching for, exactly?" he asks. "What do you want to know?"

Now or never.

"I'm searching for the history of this camp," I say quietly.

Kiba's face doesn't change; it's passive and his eyes are closed. I watch him in silence, not wanting to shatter the perfect image he's created for me, the angel-like stature he's composed. His hair is matting to his forehead slowly, but he still doesn't open his eyes. Not even when he answers. "History of this camp…" he licks his lips as a bead of water rides the contours of his top lip.

And then he opens his eyes and turns to face me. The perfect picture is shattered, and my heart leaps out of my throat when his eyes land on mine. My chest feels hollow at the sudden change, and I crave for him to close his eyes again, tilt his head to the sky in thought. "You really think someone was killed here?"

I blink, trying to regain my composure enough to answer him with a complete sentence. "Uh, no," my voice is hoarse, not nearly as rich and velvety as his. Why was I so shaken up?

"I don't know, really…"

"Well why don't you tell me about it?" he says. I look at him suspiciously, not trusting. He gives me a warm smile. "Tell me your thoughts. Why are we hunting in the first place? Did you see something in the woods…?"

He waves me closer to him, and I comply. How could I not when he looked so angel-like, so compelling, just a moment ago; when it was raining cold and prickly, like needles, on my skin and his looked so warm and inviting? But he didn't pull me into his arms like I had secretly hoped for. Instead, he took my hand and led me to the front steps of someone's cabin. I didn't know whose it was, but I didn't care either.

"Tell me," he says. "I don't want to get started on something I have no clue about. You don't go about writing an essay on a topic you haven't studied."

I smile, almost laugh at how sophisticated he sounds. He gets three checks in my book, which means he's almost checked out. He was caring to animals, he was smart, and he was kind. Three things. Naruto sure wasn't kidding.

I shrug and wrap my arms around my torso. My tank top is sticking to me now, and I'm surprised his eyes haven't found their way to my stomach yet. "I…" what would I say? How could I explain it? Kiba seemed like such an open and honest guy; someone I could tell my secrets to and trust him to keep them. But could I trust him with one so big?

I shake my head. My hair, which was in a bun today, thankfully, is starting to fall into my face. My bangs are already wet and plastered to my skin. I tuck the stray strands behind my ear and give a shaky breath. "What is up with this weather?" I say, my voice trembling. I can't tell if it's from the cold or from my nervousness, but I'm hoping Kiba thinks it's the former.

Kiba chuckled and shrugs off his jacket. "Sorry," he says, and drapes it over me. I look up at him with wide eyes. He smiles. "I guess I'm kind of clueless, huh?" I shake my head.

"Not at all…"

Kiba stares at me for a long moment, just looking into my eyes. His eyes aren't searching or prying, they're just curious, yet submissive. He closes his eyes. "Tell me," I press my lips together tightly. I didn't know what to say. I could lie…

"_Kiba, I saw a girl being dragged into the woods. I think there's a serial killer…"_

"_You didn't tell the police?"_

"_NO,"_

"_Why not?"_

"_Because, Shaun and Gus never tell the police when they find clues…"_

Pointless. I guess I could make something up that sounded a bit more…reasonable.

"I think…I think I might have seen a spot of blood in my cabin bed." I lie. Well, it isn't a total lie. I did see something red, which does symbolize murder…

Kiba's eyes widen the slightest bit. "You think someone was killed in your bed?" he reiterates.

"I… I know I say this a lot, but I don't know," I shake my head again; bury it inside Kiba's jacket. It's warm and fuzzy on the inside, and it smells like fresh grass and beef jerky. I decide I like the smell and inhale it again.

"It could have been from an animal," he suggests. I shrug.

"That's almost worst," I say miserably. It would if I had been Tenten... She favors animal life over human life. Some people think she's sick for it, but I don't. She has a big heart; she cares for both animals and people, but animals rule over humans in her mind. Of course, she sympathizes for humans, but not nearly as much as her "family."

"I know what you mean," Kiba says. I turn to him. His eyes are downcast, and he looks almost sad. "I hate it when animals are killed, especially for fun. How sick can you get, you know?" I nod, grinning now.

"You and Tenten think alike. You guys would be perfect for each other."

He grins, but it doesn't reach his eyes. I lick my lips. "So uh… where would we search for this… information?" I ask.

"You still haven't specified what you're looking for." He says. His gaze is on the sky now. "We need to hurry though, because it will be getting dark soon and sooner than usual since it's already dull out."

I nod. "I was thinking maybe we could thumb through some old newspapers or files… Maybe get a look at any news or history that's happened here…"

"Okay," he says.

"So the library, right?" I say. Kiba laughs. I turn to him, startled. "What?" I say, a smile tugging at the corner of my lips.

"Look around, hun," he says, gesturing towards the rest of the camp. "Do you see a library?" he pauses, waiting for an answer, but I don't give one. "Exactly," he says. "Because this is a camp; we aren't in some cheesy horror film where everything appears conveniently for the victims, even though they'll be killed anyway." I give him a crooked smile.

"So where do we look, then?" I ask.

"The administrators' offices," he says pointedly. My jaw drops.

"Are you crazy?" I say. "We can't snoop through the camp directors' offices."

"Snoop is a very misunderstood word," he says, and stands up. "Besides, we won't get caught or anything."

I cross my arms over my chest. "How do you know?" I inquire. I'm looking up at him now, like a little child who's putting up a fit because she doesn't want to leave. I even have the scowl and arm-cross down. Kiba must see the childish picture I created and smiles.

"I know because I would never let anything happen to you,"

I press my lips together. "We won't be killed," I mumble, and take his outstretched hand. He hoists me to my feet and then drapes a long arm over my shoulders.

"That's what I thought," he says as he steers me in the direction of the lobby. "Now all we have to do is get passed the administrators. How do you propose we do that?"

"I don't know," I say.

"You're right," he says. I give him a questioning glance. "You do say that lot,"

I roll my eyes with a huff. But that's when I notice Kiba's only wearing a white tee shirt, and it's socked completely through. My cheeks burn at my obliviousness and how selfish I was for willingly taking his jacket. I begin to shrug the thing off, but Kiba's arm around my shoulders sops me.

"What are you doing?" he glances over at me.

"You're only wearing a tee shirt," I say. "Don't you want this?" Kiba shakes his head, a smile gracing his lips. "But I can see your chest hairs…"

Kiba's cheeks flush, but then his lips curl up even father.

"But I can see your nipples,"

…

Ino lay sprawled out on her bed, her arm draped over her forehead. Her eyes were closed as she concentrated on the past events. Sakura had been having a great time with her group, mostly Sara. Ino had tried to talk to her, but because of Gai's arrangements she couldn't get a word in. After class Sakura told her she was going to have lunch with Sara. She hadn't even asked Ino if it was alright.

Of course, Sakura could do as she pleased, but it made Ino feel bad that she hadn't even cared. Wasn't Sakura he jealous girlfriend? All these years she had thought of herself as the lenient one while her pixie-haired girlfriend was the hotheaded, jealous type.

The plate of now eaten Oreos had been discarded on the floor beside her. It had been laying there for a while now as she focused on her thoughts and her breathing. Tenten had been in the room, too. In fact, she'd been there before Ino had stormed in crying. Tenten had asked what was wrong, but the blond didn't want to talk about it. Tenten left her to her sobbing, focusing on a book instead.

Suddenly, the door opens and in walks Sakura. She was alone, thankfully, but her face was flushed and she was grinning. She closes the door behind her and stretches her arms above her head. "Wow," she breathes while making her way to Ino. Tenten watches discreetly from behind her book. "That was fun. I missed you." She plants a kiss on the blond's cheek, to which Tenten grimaces.

"Get a room," she mutters under her breath. Sakura cast a glare her way, and Tenten hid her face behind her book.

"You read?" Sakura snorts. "Since when?"

"Since she and Neji started having lunch alone together," Ino said quietly from her place on her bed. Tenten and Sakura both turned to look at her; Sakura was grinning madly but Tenten, rather than being embarrassed or mad, looked rather concerned for her friend. Sakura hadn't noticed the way Ino hadn't snickered, the way Ino's voice was distraught and lonely sounding.

"Really?" Sakura says as she kicks off her shoes. Tenten's eyes meet her; brown lock on green.

"Yeah," she says. "You'd know if you were there."

"How could I be?" Sakura looks confused. "You and Neji were _alone_."

"I mean, sitting with the group, at our usual table."

Sakura plants her hands on her hips. "What the hell? Since when do you care? I can sit wherever I damn well please; and you're not one to talk- you ditched the group too."

Tenten doesn't say anything back, but instead buries herself back into her book. "That's what I thought," the pinkette mumbles. She shakes her head vigorously, like a dog, and water sprays everywhere. "That's some storm out there," she says while running her hands through her hair. "Where's Hinata?"

She turns to Ino, but she just shrugs and turns over in bed. "Hey," Sakura's brows merge together and she takes a spot beside Ino. "What's up?" she places a hand on her girlfriend's back, and rubs up and down.

"I don't feel well," Ino mumbles into her blankets.

"Oh," Sakura says. She glances at Tenten briefly, but she isn't listening. "Feel better, love," she says and gives Ino a kiss on her head. Just as she rises to her feet though, she spot the plate of Oreo crumbs and she ~face palms~.

"Ino," she says while picking up the plate. "What are these?" Tenten looks up from her book, eyebrows raised in curiosity. Ino doesn't answer. "No wonder you feel sick," the green-eyed beauty says as she sets the plate back down on the floor. "You've been eating junk food."

She shrugs off her hoodie and throws it into a corner. "You know, you should try eating more like Sara." Ino's heart stutters. "She's a vegetarian. Have you seen her body? She's like, extremely fit. You guys should talk sometime."

And then she climbs up into bed and slides under her covers. Tenten peers at Ino from over her book, watching with worried eyes as the blonde's back starts to shake. Muffled cries escape her lips but Sakura doesn't hear.

She's already asleep.

**A/N: **Okay, so I hope you all enjoyed that! I worked extra hard on it, and it is longer than my other chappies. But, alas, it is my last chapter until summer vacation starts, since I have two weeks of nonstop testing coming up, starting May 14. So, comment and hope you guys liked it. Also, I couldn't remember if Sakura's bed was the top or bottom, so I winged it and went for the top. Hope I was right? Lol, comment :D


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

**A/N: ** Thanks guys, for the reviews :D I hope all of you are enjoying the story; SPREAD THE WORD, and comment :)) SUMMER IS HERE!

Strands of blonde hair wisped around a flushed, yet solemn face. Blue eyes rest on the ground, focusing hard on the ants that crawled in between her bare toes. The pink of her nails looked dull in the grey light that cast down on her; her skin was paler than ever. Ohana let out a shaky breath. Her boyfriend, Gaara, had just broken up with her. He'd said something about a girl from California, where he used to live.

Of course no matter how much Ohana sulked, she would still be single and Gaara would still be in love with Matsuri. She wondered if the brunette whom he'd mentioned was pretty. She had to be in order for her to steal him from Ohana.

Something rustled in the bushes and her heart stuttered. Something cast a shadow-a tall shadow- over the grass in front of her. Ohana stumbled to her feet, ready to turn for the door of her cabin, when a man stepped from behind the blackberry bush and gave her a warm smile. She halted for a moment. The look on his face made her think twice about heading back in.

She knew she had seen him before, probably somewhere around this camp. He had dark, curly brown hair that fell into his face and pretty eyes. Ohana presumed he was in his mid thirties and he looked to be fit. Something erupted in the pit of her stomach and she felt her body relax. His demeanor made her calmer, happier. "Hi," she said. His smile widened, but only slightly.

"Hi," he said back. He held her gaze for a long moment before he continued. "Why do you look so depressed, honey?"

His voice was like rich chocolate, and it made her want to take a seat and listen to him talk all day; ask her questions, talk about himself. She shot him a sad smile, her eyes darting to her feet. "I…" she sniffed. The tears were coming back.

"Don't rush yourself," he said. Ohana's eyes flicked back to his; he looked genuinely concerned about her. The girl took a seat on her porch steps and rested her chin in the palm of her hand.

"My boyfriend broke up with me," she said, at last. The man was standing closer now, but not too close. He gave her a sympathetic smile.

"I'm sorry," he said, and took a seat beside her. They stayed like that for a moment, content in each other's silence. But then there was the sound of footsteps. The man stood up abruptly, his eyes darting frantically around. Ohana watched him curiously.

"That's probably just one of my roommates…" She watched as he hopped down from the porch and cast her a nervous smile.

"I need to go now," he said. "If you need someone to talk to, I'm always here."

"Wait," Ohana said. "Where would I find you?"

"Just look for me," he said, his smile reaching his eyes. "I'll be there,"

…

Ino was having a pretty fucked up morning. For starters, the first thing she noticed when she woke up that morning was that her eyes were swollen and sealed shut from crusties. Her crying the night before hadn't done much good for her, letting out her feelings had never worked well. Hinata had gotten back and had placed a hand to her back but never said a word. Ino wondered if maybe Sakura was the only one who couldn't hear her crying, couldn't sense her distress.

But if they were really meant for each other then wouldn't she have felt something? Wouldn't she have noticed? Wouldn't she have cared?

She ran a hand through her platinum hair. She decided that today would be a sick day, not knowing whether you were even allowed to take those here, or not, but not caring. There was no way she was going to show her face today in thespian and watch Sara get all of the attention; all of _Sakura's_ attention.

"Good morning, sunshine," Sakura said with a wide grin as she leaned over the pallid-looking blond. She frowned when Ino didn't turn to face her, or even bother to mumble a 'good morning." "Hey, sleepy head," she shook her shoulder. Ino ignored her, keeping her eyes shut tightly.

"What's wrong? Got an attitude or something?" she asked while rapping her knuckles against Ino's skull. Tenten came up behind her while discreetly rolling her eyes.

"Leave her be, Sakura," she said. The pinkette turned to her, eyes narrowed. "She doesn't feel well, remember?" Sakura rolled her eyes as she turned back to face her girlfriend.

"Nothing a little chicken soup won't heal," she mumbled while tugging on Ino's night shirt.

"Sakura, I said stop," Tenten repeated while placing a hand on her shoulder. She turned back around, slapping Tenten across the face with the back of her hand.

"Don't tell me what to do,"

…

I woke up to the sound of something sharp cutting through my peaceful sleep. When I open my eyes I see Tenten and Sakura standing over Ino's bed; Tenten was holding a red cheek with one hand. My eyebrows raise in horror as I climb out of bed and rush towards them. "Don't tell me what to do," Sakura hisses.

"Sakura," I shout, placing myself in between the two girls. Tenten's eyes were round with shock but you could tell by the scowl she wore that it was no surprise to her that her sour-puss friend would betray her like that. I cast her an are-you-alright look, to which she nodded.

"What do you think you're doing, putting your hands on one of your friends?" Sakura shook her head in disgust, brushing past me and heading for the door.

"Stay in bed all day, for all I care," she says while slipping on her green sandals. She stops and turns to face Tenten. "You should probably put on some foundation for that."

Tenten growls from beside me, and when I look her way I see her lunging towards the pinkette who was already halfway out the door. But something, or someone, beat her to it. Ino. I hadn't even realized that she had gotten out of bed, let alone walked right past me. I stare, wide eyed, as she confronts Sakura and slaps her hard across the face.

"Shit," Tenten whispers, ceasing step. Sakura stares at the blond with a mixture of rage and shock. Her lips curl into an ungodly scowl, one that makes her look like a rabid animal. She bars her teeth.

"Did you just-"

"Go to her!" Ino shouts.

Everyone jerks back in surprise, Chiaki startled out of her sleep, although it's a surprise how she even made it this far with all of the noise. Sakura flinches, too, hurt. "What do you mean?" she asks, voice gentler now.

Ino's gaze fell to the floor, all of the energy she had in her draining completely. "Go to her, to Sara," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. Sakura's eyes narrow at her girlfriend, but her expression was soft. She lifts a hand to her shoulder but Ino shrugs it off, turning to climb back into bed. "Tell Gai I'm sick," she murmurs, her voice muffled by her pillow.

My hand was cupped over my mouth to hide my awe; Chiaki watches, wide-eyed, like a deer, and Tenten looked crestfallen for her friends. Sakura balls up her fists, the knuckles turning white. "Sara and I do not have a thing," she says through gritted teeth. "You can keep acting like a spoiled brat, or you can meet me in the practice garden after breakfast for an apology. Your choice."

And then she was gone.

…

Lunch was quiet today. Naruto and Temari, who had taken it upon herself to start sitting with us, along with her boyfriend, were the only two people actually talking while the rest of us either nodded or murmured in agreement. I'm not sure if word had gotten out yet, but it seemed like everyone could tell that something was wrong. I wondered if Sakura had blabbed it yet.

My eyes drift towards her new lunch table with Sara where she conversed and joked, but her eyes were sad, all the same. Ino hadn't gotten out of bed that morning. She hadn't come to breakfast and she hadn't met Sakura in the garden which only meant one thing; they were over.

I let out a small breath, my spoon partaking in a weak tango through my macaroni and cheese. Kiba nudges me slightly. "Something wrong?" he asks quietly. I shrug and spoon some food into my mouth to make it look like I was still alive. He rests his hand on top of mine. My eyes flicker to his, my cheeks reddening slightly. His breath was hot against my cheek as he spoke. "You want to play detective again today?"

My heartbeat slows when he removes his hand. A small shiver runs down my spine at the loss of warmth. I sigh again. "No," I say, stretching it out. "What's the point? We didn't find anything yesterday."

We had asked Iruka, one of the administrators, if he had any old newspapers about this camp that we could look through. Kiba is a good liar, I'll admit that. He told him our coach wanted them so she could teach us the history of this camp. Of course, Iruka gave us a foot-high stack and sent us on our way. We had skimmed through every single article, stopping every so often to read the cartoons; I favored the Pickles while he favored Zits. What a weirdy.

We found nothing, of course, and had made it back before night.

"Oh come on," Kiba persuades. He's shoveling green beans into his cave-of-a-mouth. "It's not like Iruka is actually going to give us a newspaper that reads _Murder at Konoha band Camp! All Campers Beware! _He's probably afraid that we'd run off to our parents and tell them. They'd go out of business, no doubt." He's talking with his mouth full, and when he makes the article joke I almost spit out my food. He grins at my reaction, showing sharp, clean teeth. He reminds me of a dog, which makes sense since he loves them so much.

"Think about it," he continues. "They probably were just now able to leave that in the past; are probably so thankful that the last generation has passed and no one knows anymore about the camp's history. They don't want word getting out."

"You sound as if you're certain this happened," I say with a lopsided grin. Kiba shrugs.

"There was blood." He answers. "Murder, she wrote,"

"Murder, _he_ wrote," I correct.

"Who was murdered?" Chiaki asks while taking her seat beside me. I roll my eyes and jab my thumb in Sakura's direction.

"That bitch if she doesn't clean up her act," I say.

"Who, Sakura?" Kiba butts in. "What did she do? I thought you guys were friends."

I ignore him.

"Poor Ino," Chiaki says sadly. "She missed breakfast and now lunch," Kiba's brows furrow. "We should bring her something to eat." I nod in agreement.

"Wait, what happened?" Kiba asks, completely out of the loop. I roll my eyes again.

"Nothing, Snoop Dog,"

…

"I ordered the tape for the dresses," Ohana says as we all gather around the meeting table. A grin stretches across my face.

"What colors?" I ask excitedly. Chiaki gives me a sly smile, to which I shrug.

"Uh," Ohana looks through her notes. "Just the regulars, you know." She shrugs. Chiaki and I share a worried look.

"Ohana, are you feeling yourself?" Chiaki asks quietly from her spot beside me. But Ohana doesn't hear because the room is filled with a loud, obnoxious voice already.

"My Kami," Naomi snorts. "I never thought I'd see the day where Ohana, _miss perfect_, screws something up."

"What the hell are you talking about, bitch?" Ohana asks with a scowl. Naomi rises to her feet, hands slamming down on the table.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, _teme_,"

Ohana rises to her feet too, looking as if she's about to fight the girl who's at least a head smaller than her, when Natsuko invites herself into the conversation. "Ohana," she says. The blond glances her way but her gaze returns just as quickly to Naomi who's scrunching up her nose in detest. "Ohana," she tries again, this time with authority in her voice. Everyone turns to Natsuko. "May I see your notebook?" she asks.

Ohana looks taken aback for a second, her fingers hovering just above the journal as she ponders this. I watch in interest as she finally hands the notebook over and Natsuko flips through the pages. She lands on a certain page and skims it. Then her eyes slowly slide back up to meet Naomi's. "How did you know about this?" she demands, eyes narrowing at Naomi's smug expression.

"How did I know? I have no idea what you mean." She says innocently.

"I said how did you know, you little twerp?" she shouts.

"What, what is it?" I ask as Chiaki, quick as bird, snatches the notebook from Natsuko. Her eyes widen. "What?" I ask again, looming over her shoulder. My eyes widen.

"You ordered…sex tapes?" Chiaki says, lips trembling from embarrassment. She slams the notebook down on the table with a forceful slap.

"Why would you do that?" I ask.

"How did you know about this, Naomi?" Natsuko reiterates. "I won't ask again,"

"Thank Kami for that," she mutters with the roll of her eyes. Natsuko's eyes widen in rage as she pounces over the table and grabs Naomi's collar. Sasuke acts then and grabs Natsuko's elbow, ripping the two apart. Natsuko twirls around, landing herself in Sasuke's chest where he secures her by resting a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Kami, you're troublesome," he mutters.

"Wait, why did you buy these?" I ask, ripping my gaze from Sasuke and Natsuko. Ohana lets out a frustrated sigh.

"I wasn't thinking straight," she shouts. "I-I was looking up colorful tape on this website and, well, I have dyslexia so I thought it said red tape…" she trails off, raking her hands through her hair. Chiaki comes up behind her and places a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"It's ok," she says softly. Her eyes reflect concern. "But are you sure there isn't something else wrong?" Ohana shakes her head.

"Just dyslexia…"

I swallow.

WOW

"So, uh…" Lee says from the corner where he had been standing the entire time. Everyone turns to him. "What are we going to do with those tapes…?"

The room was silent.

"Get the tapes!"

…

"Are you okay?" Kiba asks as we make our way towards the administrator's offices. I shrug.

"Yeah, fine," I say, voice shaky. He gives me an odd look, as if he doesn't believe me, but doesn't say another word. The video had been…brutal. For me, that is. I'm not the kind of person who enjoys watching that kind of stuff and the images running through my head at this moment-his hands running through my hair, his muscles flexing as he pushes, Kiba's tongue licking my ear-WOAH, where did Kiba come from?; were giving me a major migraine.

"Are you sure?" he asks just as we approach the building. I swallow. I had almost forgotten he had been there.

"Uh," I say, wringing my hands nervously. Kiba arches an eyebrow. "Yup, let's go,"

He follows me up the steps but then grabs my wrist just as I'm about to open the door. I turn back to him, brows furrowing. "What are you doing?" I ask. "Unhand me, villain!" Kiba cracks a smile but shoves me to the side of the porch nonetheless.

"We don't have a plan yet," he whispers.

Right.

"Well then what do we do?" I ask. Kiba shrugs.

"How about we check the windows of the offices,"

"What do you mean?"

"Follow me," he says and leads me around back. I check over my shoulder multiple times, scared out of my mind that we were going to be caught. But then again, with Kiba here, you never knew…

Suddenly, he pulls me down to the ground, and we're crouching in the grass. I let out a frustrated breath through my nose. "Wait here," he whispers, and slowly rises to his feet. I watch as he checks the window and then a smile appears on his face. "The coast is clear," he says. Then his nose wrinkles. "But, uh, I don't know if we should go in there…"

"Why?" I ask, rising to my feet too.

My eyes widen.

The images…

Flooding back…

"I think I'm going to be sick," I whisper while clutching my stomach.

"Whose office is this?" Kiba asks, more to himself than to me since I'm crouching on the ground trying to keep my lunch down. "Hinata?" he places a hand on my back. "You're really sensitive to this stuff, aren't you?" I nod.

There were photos of girls plastered to every single open space on the walls of the office. And they weren't fully clothed, though some of them weren't clothed at all. There were photos of girls riding motorcycles, fingering themselves, and sucking on each other's tits.

I was already tasting my lunch.

"Yeah," he says, voice sounding far away, as if he were reminiscing. "I don't agree with stuff like this. Some guys should just be put to rest for it, you know? I mean, how degrading for women. And men too!"

My eyes widen the slightest bit as he rambles on about how this kind of stuff is making men look worse and worse by the second. I almost smile.

That meant Kiba didn't…

"Kiba?" I ask, voice nearly inaudible. He pauses, takes a breath.

"Yeah?"

"Do you…" I sit up, watching as he takes a seat beside me. "Watch…porn?"

His eyes widen. "Hell no!" he shouts. I cover his mouth, eyes wide and searching. "Sorry," he whispers. "Fuck no!"

"You mean hell no," I point out.

"Whatever," he says. "Weren't you listening to what I said earlier? I don't agree with this stuff. Don't confuse me with other guys like that, okay?" he sounded hurt, sincere. I nodded. "Alright, now let's get in there,"

"Wait," I tug at his wrist. "You're still going in there?"

He blushes slightly. "I won't look," he says. "I promise,"

…

I sigh, frustrated, and slam the drawer shut. "There aren't any newspapers in this room!" I whisper loudly. The corner of Kiba's mouth twitches.

"I found something," he says. I turn to find him seated at whoever's desk it was, rolling back and forth on their chair. My eyes widen as I rush to his side.

"You went through their computer files?" I say, shocked.

"Nah, just their history," he clicks on a link. "Look,"

"An online article?"

"Yeah," he says. "Check the title,"

"Girl found dead in cabin…three nineteen!" I turn to Kiba. "That's my cabin!"

"Oh shit," he says. "Looks like you were right,"

"It says here that she was stabbed and raped," I swallow. "And left to die…in my bed."

"Hey," Kiba rolls around in the chair so he can face me, already starting to stand up, but I beat him to it. My knees are so weak that I just collapse into his arms.

"Kiba," I moan, tears dampening his shirt. "Kiba,"

"Shhh," he says and runs a hand through my hair. "It's okay. You can…" he pauses. "Uh, sleep in my cabin."

"What?" My head whips up so I can look him in the eyes. He's frowning. "I can't-"

"Sleep in that bed," he finishes. "But why wouldn't they change the sheets if there was blood on them?" I swallow.

Oh crap…

"We need to show the police that blanket," he says, voice determined.

"No," I say, arms flailing wildly. That's when I notice Kiba's arms encircled snugly around me, keeping me from falling off of his lap. I blush.

"Why not?" he asks. "We have to. It's our civic duty,"

How was I supposed to explain to him that there wasn't any blood? Gawd, could this have gotten any worse?

And then the door knob turned.

**A/N: **CLIFFHANGER! Why, you ask? Because this chapter was terrible! And whenever a chapter is terrible, I leave it on a cliff hanger. So, I hope you guys liked it although it was pretty damn perverted and sickyo… So comment… Yeah…


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

**A/N: **Hey guys :) I sort of snapped something in my neck last night while lifting weights so my head is kind of turned to an angle and it won't move… Yeah, so it's kind of hard to write, and it hurts like a bitch, but since I left you guys on a cliff hanger and promised I'd update before tomorrow I guess I'm screwed, huh?

_~ Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

"Oh gawd," I murmur, "Gawd, no,"

Kiba takes my hand and in a flash, we're behind the parted, cobalt curtains where I stand behind Kiba's protective form. I press my cheek to his back as the door squeaks open, footsteps pounding against the ground. "I told you already," there was a pause, and Kiba and I both suck in a breath. "You need to find someone else."

"But I can't," it was the sound of a man, and if my ears weren't deceiving me, he sounded almost eighteen. "I've already picked the person perfect for the job."

"Yes, I know, but-" they pause, tension filling their empty words.

I press harder into Kiba, my heart beating so erratically that I was sure Kiba could feel it through his sweatshirt. I let out a sharp breath just as Kiba's hand finds mine and presses it to the side of his hip bone. His hands are almost as shaky as mine.

"Were you on my computer?" they ask.

Kiba and I cease breath again, and this time my hearts stops completely. We weren't dealing with a camp counselor's harsh punishment, being sent home early or being put on probation from camp activities; we were dealing with someone dangerous. Someone had been researching the camp's history too, and not only that, but they didn't want it to be found out. What were we dealing with, exactly?

"No, why? What is it?" the man asks. There's the sound of chair wheels rolling loudly against the floorboards and then a loud, sharp smack. I jerk back, startled.

"Shut up," they hiss. "Someone was in here. They were on my computer,"

"Did you just _slap_ me?" the boy says, voice growing in volume.

"Yeah," they say, a hint of humor in their voice. "I did; so what are you doing to do about it?"

"Don't fuck with me," the man growls.

"..?"

Something inside my stomach clenches and it feels as if someone was pouring hot ash down my throat. The man is growling, so much so that it sounds like an animal going through a transformation. Kiba grips my hand tighter to his side so his bone is bruising the side of my thumb. "Don't speak to me like that," he says. His voice has taken on a different tone, and he sounds almost as if he's another person.

"Are you feeling alright? You sound differen-AHH," the person shrieks and then there's the sound of someone crashing to the floor.

"Kai," they screech.

"My name isn't Kai," he says in a low voice. "It's Ketsu,"

I wince as another crash sounds from behind the curtains. "Kiba," I whisper. He tightens his grip even further, letting me know he's still there, still with me. The man chuckles. "I'll see you later, babe,"

The door closes and the person lying on the floor lets out a moan. Kiba releases my hand, but I find myself reaching for it again. His brows merge when I grasp it, but he doesn't refuse. Instead he peers behind the curtain and with a curt nod, leads me to the window as quietly as possible. We climb out and as soon as both of our feet are on the ground, we're eating dust like there's no tomorrow.

…

"You don't look so good," Chiaki comments from her bed. She had her knees to her chest, chin resting on them as she listened to Ino's moaning and complaints. Tenten nods in agreement.

"Yeah, maybe you should eat something…" she says, looking to Neji for help.

"I'll go down to the dinner hall and see if I can grab her something," he says while rising to his feet.

"No," Ino says and rolls over so she's facing the three. "Don't; I'm not hungry,"

"Well you look like shit," Neji says while crossing his arms over his chest. Ino glares daggers at him, but he shrugs. "It's true; if you don't want to look like that then you need some food." He turns to Tenten. "I'll be back with something,"

"Okay, thanks Neji," she says, and watches him leave.

Chiaki raises an eyebrow. "Ooh," she sings.

"What?"

"You like him?" she waggles her eyebrows.

"What? No," Tenten protests, but Chiaki already has her mind made up.

"Whatever," she says and rolls over.

"Well what about you and Lee?" Tenten prods.

"What about us?" she asks, a blush rising to her cheeks.

"You know," Tenten says slyly. "You guys are smitten, right?"

"What? No we aren't!"

"U-huh," Tenten crosses her arms. "Smitten as a kitten,"

"We don't even talk," Chiaki says, flaring her nostrils.

"Not _to _each other, but _about_ each other, yes," Tenten grins at Chiaki's brightening cheeks. "Hah,"

Suddenly the door swings open and in walks Sakura. All three girls turn to face her, glares set upon their features. Sakura presses her lips together at Ino's sickening state. "May I have a word?" she asks while kicking off her shoes.

"Uh, no," Tenten answers. 

"I wasn't talking to you," Sakura says sourly.

"Yeah, well, you didn't ask anyone directly," Tenten points out. "And you aren't welcome,"

"This is my cabin too,"

"I don't give two shits,"

"Guys," Ino cuts in. They turn to her, glares still adorning their faces. "Leave,"

"Hah," Tenten shouts while point her finger towards Sakura.

"I meant you and Chiaki," Ino mutters. Sakura rolls her eyes at Tenten's gaping mouth, and then shoes her off with a wry smile. Tenten sticks her tongue out as she passes the bubblegum-princess (lol, adventure time!) and drags Chiaki out behind her.

When the door is shut and the quiet fills the room, Sakura takes a seat on Hinata's bed, across from Ino. She watches her for a long time, Ino avoiding her gaze like her life depended on it. "Ino," Sakura starts, shifting in her spot. "I don't like Sara,"

"Don't shit me," Ino murmurs, shutting her eyes tightly.

"Why didn't you come to the garden today?" Sakura asks while crossing her legs. Ino shrugs. "Is it because you don't want to date me anymore?" Sakura's voice is small and quiet, vulnerable.

"I…" Ino sighs. "I don't know,"

"What have I done, Ino?" Sakura asks, crossing the room to sit beside the blond. She turns away, tears spilling from the corners of her eyes.

"You…you know Sara likes you," she mumbles while wiping the tears away.

"What?" Sakura raises her eyebrows. "No she doesn't,"

"My gawd!" Ino shouts and turns to look her girlfriend straight in the eyes. "Everyone sees it! Hinata, Tenten, even Chiaki,"

"No they don't," Sakura crosses her arms over her chest. "And Sara is just being friendly,"

"Friendly like a ghost," Ino whispers.

"Sara is nice,"

"Yeah, to you," Ino shouts. "She's a total bitch to everyone else though. And why is that? Hm, maybe because she _is_ a bitch, but likes you."

"Maybe she likes me and not you because I'm friendly," Sakura retorts.

"Hah," Ino laughs, a look of sardonic shock written across her face. "You? Friendly? In everyone's dreams,"

"Uh,"

The two look up to see Neji holding a tray of grilled cheese, macaroni, and peaches. He looks uncomfortable, but if you didn't actually know him you never would have guessed. "Uh, thanks," Ino mumbles as he sets the tray on her lap.

"Sorry," he says and exits the room.

"You haven't eaten all day?" Sakura asks quietly. Ino shakes her head. "I'm sorry…"

Ino's eyes widen as the words register. She turns to the pinkette, mouth wide open. "You're…?"

"Sorry," Sakura says. "I guess I did notice how Sara seemed to like me a bit more than the others…" she shrugs. "Maybe I liked the attention,"

"I…" Ino pushes the tray away. "I could have given you more attention, if that was what you wanted." Sakura shakes her head.

"You were enough, Ino, but…I was just so selfish..." she wipes her eyes as tears begin to surface. "It's so hard being a lesbian… my parents think so lowly of me-everyone thinks lowly of me. It's hard to find girls that are lesbians too, and when you do you just… seem to like them…" her eyes lock with Ino's. "Because they're just like you."

Suddenly, the door swings open for a second time, but it isn't Neji and it isn't Chiaki or Tenten. It's Kiba and Hinata, and they're panting.

…

Kiba and I burst through the door to my cabin, faces flushed and breaths rapid. But when my eyes land on Ino and Sakura sitting side by side on Ino's bed, watching us with wide eyes, my breath ceases and I tug my hand out of Kiba's grasp. My cheeks heat at their "knowing" looks.

"Were you two just…?" Ino says.

"Kissing?" Sakura finishes with a smirk.

"What?" Kiba and I say in unison, eyes wide. "No!"

"Then why were you panting?" Sakura asks with raised eyebrows.

"We were running," I explain.

"And why were you holding hands?" Ino inquires with narrowed eyes.

I let out a tired breath, letting them have this one for now. "Are you guys all made up?" Kiba asks suddenly. My head whips up to find Ino and Sakura both with blushes on their cheeks.

"Uh…" Sakura says stupidly.

"Yeah," Ino grins at Sakura's bewildered look. "We're all better," she gives the pinkette a squeeze before hopping off the bed, hand in hand. "So why were you two running?" she asks.

"Where's Neji?" I ask.

I can feel Kiba's questioning gaze on me but I ignore it. "Uh, he just left…" Sakura says. "Why?"

"Nothing," I say and pull Kiba through the door. "Bye,"

"Good luck, guys," Kiba calls over his shoulder at the two.

…

"Gaara," the redhead sighed, irritated. Ohana watched with broken eyes as her ex boyfriend turned to face her, a bored-to-death expression on his face. "Why?" she asked, voice pleading.

"Because," Gaara took a seat on a bench. "I have a girlfriend back in California,"

Ohana winced. "Then why did you go out with me in the first place?"

Her lips quivered as tears streamed down her pallid face. He shrugged. "Because, you're hot and you were looking for something hotter," Ohana's eyes widened.

"I'm no sex toy!" she shouted.

"Whatever; you sure acted like one," Gaara said while rising to his feet.

"Wait, Gaara," she called, hand outstretched as he turned away and made his way towards his cabin. "Gaara," she whispered.

"Ohana?"

A shiver ran down her spine at the sound of her name being called by a familiar, gentle voice. She turned on her heel, coming face to face with the man from before. His brown locks were swept to the side with gel and his eyes gleamed. "Are you alright?" he asked gingerly. She nodded, sniffing. "What he did was very hurtful," the man said while coming closer to her.

"Yeah," she mumbled, rubbing her arm nervously. "He's a jerk,"

"I would never cheat on a girl," he continued, eyes searching hers. Her eyebrows merged together as she looked up at him. His hand found her way into her hair, stroking the locks of gold. "You have beautiful hair," he commented absentmindedly.

"You…you sound younger than you look," Ohana said nervously, eyes gleaming. "How old are you?"

"Does it matter?"

**A/N: **Yeah… I KNOW IT SUCKED! Please stop throwing cyber kunai at me! But next chapter will be better…? Comment -_- please…


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

**A/N: **Hi guys :) Today was officially the last day of school. I spent lunch in the bathroom…watching Naruto on crunchyroll… Because I had not one to sit with. It's hard when everyone thinks you're the freak of the school. *Sigh* at least it's over with. Well, as you've been waiting for… Here it is: chapter eleven.

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

He was so nervous. There she was, the most beautiful person he'd ever been in contact with, and she was practically begging for him to take her. When she spoke, when she told him he sounded young, it made him inwardly shudder. She liked him; she had to. And he liked her back. His partner wouldn't be mad at me him; he would be happy-more than happy that he'd finally found someone.

He reached out, stroke her hair. It was silky, as he'd imagined. "You have beautiful hair," he commented, gazing lovingly at her as he continued to fondle with her locks. She blushed; she was getting worked up. She wanted him. He had to wait a little longer though, gain enough trust to take her with him.

"You…you sound younger than you look." Ohana said softly, gazing up at him with as much intensity as he felt. He sucked in a breath. "How old are you?"

He smiled down at her. "Does it matter?"

And then he did it. He took the leap of faith. He had promised himself that he would wait until he had earned her trust, just a little longer and he would have had her completely, but he couldn't help it and he knew she wanted this as much as he did. He could see the lust in her eyes, the yearning for his lips. And so he gave it to her. He planted his lips on hers and closed his eyes.

She was shocked at first. She didn't move, but instead pressed her lips together tightly. His brows furrowed. Had he done something wrong? He must have because she wasn't kissing him back. He tried a different tactic; tracing circles on her scalp with the pad of his thumb. She trembled beneath him, a sign that she was succumbing to him.

He smiled against her lips, moving to her hips next. She squirmed beneath him. She needed air, more than he did, he noted. He released her lips, hands still planted firmly on her hips. She gasped, closing her eyes and blinking. Was she dizzy? She was mumbling now, incoherent words. He tried setting her down on the ground but she writhed in his arms.

And then it happened. The dreaded moment he'd feared. He knew it would have happened, but this was normally his partner's job. He was the bait, surviving off of their kisses and love and then handing them over to his partner for the kill. Ketsu did the killing. Kai did the kissing.

But Ohana had screamed, or tried to. She hadn't yet caught her breath and she was still mumbling so much that it came out as a slurred, high pitched moan. He clasped a hand over her mouth as quickly as possible, gazing into her fearful eyes. His pressed his lips together. He wanted to give her another chance but she was afraid of him now.

It was Ketsu's turn now. He was finished. But one last kiss before he handed her over. He bended down and replaced his hand with his mouth, savoring her taste before swiftly pulling his hoodie off and wrapping it around her head to muffle her screams as he caught his breath. Finally, her screams died and all that could be heard was sobbing. He hushed her, stroking her cheek from behind the cloth. "Come now," he whispered. "Don't cry; Ketsu is waiting."

…

"Why do we have to tell Neji?" Kiba asks while tugging at my hand, trying to break me from my jogging trance. I shake my head, pushing further for the boys' cabin. "Hey, answer me," Kiba says.

"Ugh," I groan, stopping to turn to him. "Because Neji was the first person I told other than you."

"So he's in on this too?" Kiba looks confused and somewhat angry. I nod my head. "Then why didn't you take him instead of me?"

"Because, you needed to prove yourself, remember?" I say.

"I can't believe this," he says, outraged. I blink, puzzled.

"Believe what? I needed you and that's that,"

"No, you used me. This was all some test to see if I was loyal enough to your friend, or better yet, your faithful man servant. You'd rather risk my life than your cousin's. I mean nothing to you." I gape, brows merged. Was he forreal? "I really thought me were getting somewhere. I thought we were becoming friends." He mumbles, eyes clouding over.

"Wait, what? No, I was _not_ using you! And where did you get that man servant thing?" I protest, flailing my arms over my head.

"Whatever," he says, and starts to turn away. But I'm quick to act, grabbing his wrist and pulling him with as much force as I can muster. He stumbles into me, knocking the both of us off balance. I start to fall backwards but he catches me, two hands securing my forearms. I smile up at him sheepishly, swallowing the fear that erupts when I see his frown.

"Kiba," I plea, face falling. "Please don't do this. I thought we were getting somewhere too."

"Don't screw with my feelings," my mumbles, pushing me away. I stumble back, this time hitting the ground with a thump. I wince, watching as he stalks off without a care in the world. Without a care about me, or my now bruised ass.

"Fine," I shout after him. "Be that way! I never liked you, you pervert!" Kiba lifts a hand in salute before disappearing in the distance. I press my trembling lips together while tucking my knees beneath my chin. "No," I murmur. "NO,"

…

Sakura leaned forward, letting her forehead rest on Ino's. She sighed in content, a smile gracing her lips. "I missed you," she whispered.

"I missed you more," Ino said, cradling Sakura's face in her hands. Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Ino growled, eyes darting to the door, daggers beneath her irises. Sakura chuckled and moved to answer it.

"Calm down, it'll only take a second." She said while swinging the door open. Her eyes widened, her teeth instantly finding her bottom lip when she came face to face with Sara. Said girl tilted her head at the pinkette, eyes closing. Ino narrowed her gaze, crouching on her bed. "What are you doing here, Sara?" Sakura asked nervously.

"Hi Sakura," she turned her attention to Ino. "Hey there, blondie, how you feeling? I heard you were sick," Ino growled at the red head, to which she frowned. "You have a cough?" she turned to Sakura. "I thought she had food poisoning…"

"What do you need, Sara?" Sakura asked tiredly.

"Oh," her face brightened. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out. Maybe we could practice some acting, if you want to?" she gave a small giggle. "Or something else, since we act all day." Sakura smiled.

"I'd love to but…" she turned to Ino, who was sitting with her arms crossed over her chest. "Ino and I are hanging out tonight."

"Oh," Sara's face fell. "Well maybe we can all hang out next time?"

Ino's ears perked up at this. "All?" she repeated.

"Sure," Sakura said while waving Sara off. "That'd be great. See you later,"

Sara looked confused at Sakura's rushed goodbye but smiled nonetheless. "Yeah, see you around…" she hut the door behind her, leaving the two in stunned silence. At least, Ino was stunned.

"What the…"

"Ino," Sakura started, making her way towards the blond. "You should give her a chance,"

"She's trying to steal you from me," Ino said, frowning. "I don't want you hanging out with her,"

Sakura clasped Ino's hands in hers, brought them to her cheek. "Please," she begged. "You'll be there, so no funny business. Pleeeeeassseeee...?"

Ino scrutinized her girlfriend, jade clashing with azure as they stared each other down, Sakura's gaze pleading and Ino's analyzing. "Fine," she agreed, finally. "But if she does anything funny-"

Sakura stopped her with a kiss. "No funny business," she whispered while pulling back. Ino smiled. Suddenly the door swung open again.

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Ino shouted.

A confused and scared Lee was standing in the doorway, a bouquet of flowers in his hand. "Did…was I interrupting something?" he stuttered, eyes searching the room.

"Oh, sorry, Lee," Ino said sheepishly. He smiled, albeit uncertainly.

"Are you looking for Chiaki?" Sakura inquired, eyebrows raising as a smirk played across her lips. A blush spread across the awkward teen's cheeks.

"I will not lie," he said bravely. "I am searching for the beauty named Chiaki,"

Ino rolled her eyes. "She and Tenten left, like twenty minutes ago,"

"Oh," Lee punched a fist to the air. "Then I will go search for her! Maybe I will get her alone!" With that, Lee left in a flash of green.

"Yeah, maybe," Sakura mumbled while leaning in for another kiss.

…

"And he just blew up at you?" Neji inquires. "Like that?"

"U-huh," I nod my head, wiping tears from my face. "I…I normally wouldn't come to you about this stuff, and I know you think it's so bothersome, but… I just really need someone and you were the closest to me."

"Oh, Hinata, I'm touched," Neji says, placing a hand to his heart. I look up, brows furrowed.

"No," I shake my head. "I mean you were the closest one to where I was sitting." Neji's hand falls to his lap. "My butt hurt too much to run back to my cabin…"

"Oh," Neji frowns. "Well, what do you need? Comfort? A hug?"

I roll my eyes. "You really aren't good with this stuff," I mutter.

"Yes, well… you're the one with the boyfriend,"

"He's not my boyfriend!" I shout, eyes tearing up again. "Or else he wouldn't have pushed me to the ground."

"He did what?" Neji says, voice low and threatening. I pause.

Shit…

"We found something…" I say, changing the subject. "There was a newspaper. It said something about a girl being killed in my cabin a couple of years ago…"

"Wait, what? Slow down, Hinata. One problem at a time."

"There was a newspaper-"

"I know, I know," he says, nodding his head. "I mean…how did you find it? When did you find it?"

"Okay, so Kiba and I snuck into one of the camp counselors' offices and found an online article about a girl being killed in my cabin a couple of thirty years or so ago…"

"So…you were right…" he says. "Wait, you snuck in _where_?"

"Damn well, I was right," I say, hoping my subject changes will go unnoticed by him. "And I think this has something to do with the note dad left us."

"That…could be right," he says thoughtfully. "Should we call dad?"

"No, you and I need to find out some more about this." I say.

"What? No, that's dangerous, Hinata. You shouldn't have done it in the first place."

"But Neji-"

"I won't allow you to put yourself in any trouble,"

"You mean danger…" I say.

"What?"

I sigh. "Kiba and I think it's one of the counselors…who's the killer," I admit.

"Wait, the counselor whose office you broke into?" I nod. "Well whose office did you break into?"

"We don't know," I admit. "But there were really…disgusting posters on the walls." I shudder.

"How so?"

"Uh…girl related…" Neji grimaces.

"Well I think dad would do better with this information. He and the others can use the computers and technology from the intel unit to learn more about this murder…" My shoulders fall in defeat.

"But I felt so…ninja-like," I mutter.

"Too bad," Neji says, a bit more harshly than necessary. "We aren't agents; we couldn't help this case any more than we have…" I glare at him. "Sorry, er, _you _have."

…

Ketsu dragged the girl's body into the office, locking the door and shutting the blinds. Here, he could finish his business and then get rid of her and the evidence. He took out something that resembled a pen, smiling deviously. He'd seen his partner do this many times before. Stick it up her before she could say a thing and then cut her open. He loved the scent of blood mixed with cum.

"Ketsu," someone said from behind the man. He turned swiftly, pen in hand. "Let me do this," he narrowed his gaze.

"But-"

"I've been keeping this secret for you for too long now," they said. "It's my turn, or else the deal is off,"

"What are you saying?"

"Let me have some fun with her before you dispose of the girl… Or else I tell,"

He grunted, tossing the pen into the person's hand. They smiled. "I'll see you in thirty minutes,"

"Don't make a mess," he said gruffly before stalking out of the room.

…

Tenten and Chiaki were down by the river. They had made their way through the forest; watching squirrels dart up trees, mice scurry, caterpillars inch their way after each other, and leaves rustle with each step the deer took. There was a river behind the trees, so they heard, and they had wanted to check it out in their "free time."

"Man, if Ino gets back together with that little wench…" Tenten muttered angrily, snapping a branch with her hands.

"Oh, calm down," Chiaki said lightly, eyeing the broken piece of wood. Tenten tossed it into the bush. ""They're made for each other. I'm just glad Sakura finally apologized,"

"But she slapped me," Tenten said though gritted teeth. "And I couldn't do a damned thing about it!"

Chiaki dipped a toe into the stream, shuddering at the cool sensation. "Come on," she urged, nodding towards the glassy sheen of water before them. "Take a chill pill and relax,"

Tenten sighed, succumbing to Chiaki's persuasion and dipping her feet beneath the surface. "Ohh," she sighed, rolling her shoulders.

"See?" Chiaki beamed at her new friend. She and Tenten hadn't been close but they were getting there. Suddenly there was a rustling in the bush, and Tenten and Chiaki turned around, eyes huge and hearts erratic.

"Chiaki," Lee called from behind the greenery. Tenten grinned at the unruly-haired girl whose cheeks were now the color of a sunset. Lee appeared from behind the brush, a bunch of flowers gripped tightly in his hand. He smiled at the sight of her, eyes huge with awe.

_What Lee saw…_

_As he pushed through the bushes, he caught sight of his cousin and newfound crush. A blush rose to his cheeks as the sight of her stopped him in his tracks. She looked glorious, bathing in the sunlight like a cat. Her curly, dark hair recoiled as her head bobbed up and down from laughter; sunlight reflected brightly off of her tresses, nearly as shiny as his own hair; her smile lit up the forest as she grinned at his cousin; her toes wiggled beneath the surface of the water, enjoying the fresh embrace of the fluid. She was a heavenly sight._

_Normal…_

A blush spread through the girl's cheeks and down her neck at the sight of flowers in his hand. "Uh," she said, at a loss for words. Lee smiled shyly at the girl.

"I think I'll just have a word with my fellow animal friends," Tenten said while grinning madly at the two. It was then that Chiaki was thankful Tenten could speak with animals… Or so she said. The brunette flashed a supportive smile towards her cousin before disappearing into the brush, making odd noises in her wake.

Lee took Tenten's spot beside Chiaki, dipping his feet into beside her, even with his sandals still on. They floated to the top, resting against Chiaki's soft-skinned feet. She smiled down at her lap, fiddling with her thumbs nervously. "Did you pick those yourself?" she asked quietly. Lee grinned, his nervousness rolling right off of him.

"Why yes," he said enthusiastically. "I picked them just for you!" he thrust the flowers in her face, watching with apprehension as she took them and, carefully, rested them in her lap.

"They're beautiful," she commented.

"Thank you,"

….

"They remind me of you…" Lee said after a while. Chiaki gasped, looking up at him with teary, anime eyes. He blushed nervously, reaching over to rest his hand on top of hers. Chiaki's blush deepened at the contact.

"You're pretty cute, yourself," she said while turning away.

Lee gaped with joy. From behind a bush, Tenten snickered to herself, a stray kitten following suit and making small snickering noises. Tenten pet the kitten, proceeding to spy on the two innocent lovers.

"So… Chiaki," Lee started.

Suddenly, someone came up from behind Tenten, startling both her and the kitten. It yelped from fright, leaping into the brunette's arms. "Tenten," Neji spoke with a leveled tone. She glared up at him, cradling the kitten in her arms.

"Shhh," she said, motioning for him to crouch down beside her. He rolled his eyes, suppressing a sigh as he did as he was told. The kitten hissed at him, to which Neji twisted his lips.

_Don't think you can have her. I'll be in your spot in a couple of days…_

Tenten jabbed him in the side from his lack of interest, motioning for him to watch. He blushed from being caught in his lustful daydream and focused his attention on the two teens behind the brush.

"Do you…do you want to be my girlfriend?" Lee asked awkwardly.

Neji bit his tongue. Why was Tenten making him watch such an awkward, horrible scene? He turned towards her, watching with curiosity as she looked on in a dream-like trance. Even the kitten in her arms was love struck. Neji sighed.

"I will," Chiaki said, curling her fingers around Lee's hand, which was much too big for hers. Lee gave her his signature grin before enveloping her in a hug.

"Thank goodness; for some reason I doubted you would say yes!"

"You aren't supposed to admit that, dimwit," Neji muttered. Tenten sighed beside him.

"Well, that was cute while it lasted," she set the kitten down, saluting to him as he sauntered off. "So what did you need?" she whispered while brushing herself off and rising to her feet.

"Would you like to, um, grab something to eat…and then head down to my cabin?" Neji asked. Tenten rolled her eyes.

"Duh," she said, and looped her arm through his. "So, uh, how did you find me here?" she asked as they made their way back through the woods.

Neji laughed nervously. "Just a lucky guess," Tenten gave him an odd side glance. "What? It's not like I have a tracking derive implanted into you…"

"Riiiight…"

…

I stifle a yawn as both Ino and Sakura rubbed my back. "Kiba can be such a jerk," Ino says soothingly. "Just forget about him,"

"But," I sniff. "I thought you said Kiba was the nicest guy you've ever met…"

Ino pauses, turning to Sakura sheepishly. "Well, I, uh… don't listen to me. What do I know?"

"Nothing, obviously," Sakura says. "He was just mad…"

"Why did you guys get in a fight anyways?" Ino asks. I roll over onto my side. Why did we get into a fight? Well I couldn't tell them the real reason…

I shrug. "He thinks I'm using him to get better at singing,"

"What? But you're the best singer, like, ever, Hinata. You don't need him to help you sing better. That's preposterous!" Ino says.

"Well, you two have been spending a lot of time together recently… And I thought you guys hated each other."

"I told you, we made up," I mumble.

"Yeah, but-"

"So when did you guys make up?" I ask, diverting the conversation. I was getting pretty good at this.

Sakura shrugs. "Earlier…"

"Yeah, and we've got a date with Sara tomorrow," Ino grumbles.

"Oh, stop," Sakura scolds. "Anyways, it's getting dark and Tenten and Chiaki still aren't back yet."

"Where did they go?" I ask.

'We don't know," Ino says. "But Lee barged in asking for Chiaki, like, an hour ago."

"He was holding flowers in his hand," Sakura says with a smirk.

"Aw," I coo. Suddenly, the bad mood is lifted at the good expense for Chiaki. "How cute; they're perfect!"

"I bet Tenten's with Neji by now. They always eat together," Ino says.

"Yeah…" I say. Neji had left her in a hurry after he'd made up his mind about calling dad. We'd decided to call him tomorrow, when I wasn't as emotionally drained. But I still had no idea how I'd explain to him how I received that information. Hopefully Neji wouldn't blab to him…

…

Lee and Chiaki were walking back through the woods, hand in hand. They had stayed there for quite some time and now it was dark out. They had even missed dinner. "Lee," Chiaki said, scared. "It's dark, and we're in a forest."

Lee pressed her closer into his chest. "Don't fret, darling, everything will be alright with me by your side!" Chiaki smiled into his chest, letting their hands intertwine and her hair jumble with his. Suddenly they were the sound of footsteps.

"Oh no," Chiaki whispered. "I sure hope that isn't Anko, searching for us,"

"She'd have out hides, for sure," Lee agreed while pressing them up against a tree. "Stay quiet," he said. Chiaki nodded and they listened for the footsteps to recede. But they didn't. Instead they came closer and closer, heading towards the river.

Lee's eyebrows merged together when his ears picked up on a splash. Was someone going for a late night swim? An inappropriate swim with their beloved, maybe? Lee shook the thought away and tugged on Chiaki's hand. She understood the gesture and raced with him into the night, not stopping until they reached the outskirts of the forest.

**A/N: **So how was that? Better, right? I'm really proud of this chapter, so please comment! It would really make my day, especially after all that's happened. Thanks :) Hope you guys enjoyed!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

**A/N: **Tell me if this makes sense: Because I have asthma I am no longer allowed to be near my cats, have sleepovers with my friends, or go to my friends' houses, according to my mom. The fuck? She's treating me like I'm not a normal person! Just because I have asthma it does not mean I can't have fun. I hope she learns the hard way that you never speak to me like the villagers spoke to Naruto, which is how she speaks to me every day.

_~Disclaimer: I do not fucking own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

Breakfast had been a total fail. Kiba had, of course, sat at the opposite end of the table with the boys as to avoid me. I'd promised myself that morning that I'd be over-the-top pissed if he even stood within a few meters from me but when reality hit that he wasn't going to try and make up, my heart sank.

Ino and Sakura had gone for their walk with Sara, grabbing bagels to go, which had left room at the table for Neji and Tenten, who had actually decided to show up today. As Neji took his seat across from me and beside Tenten, he shifted his gaze towards Shikamaru and Temari, a questioning look in his eyes. I shrug.

"They're the new kids," I say.

"As in…?"

"As in they just started hogging the table down there," Sasuke filled in.

"Wait, what?" Neji asks, confused.

"Hn," is all Sasuke says as he bites at a piece of bacon. I roll my eyes.

"Shikamaru and Temari; they're from California, like Kiba," I shoot him a glare from across the table even though he can't see it.

"Kiba isn't actually from Cali-"

"And they're apparently friends with Naruto, is it?" I turn to Sasuke but he's turned emo on us. I sigh. "And now Sasuke is being forced to sit with us dweebs since there's no room beside his now popular boyfriend."

"Oh," Neji says in realization. "So how are you in Kiba?"

"Why would you ask that?" I sigh.

"Because you keep glancing at him." He leans towards me. "It's obvious you miss him."

"Yeah right," I snort. "He's just so…"

"Eye-catching?" Chiaki says from behind me. I turn with a start, watching as she and Lee drop onto the empty seats beside Sasuke, who discreetly shifts closer to me. Lee gives us his famous smile while handing Chiaki her tray.

"There you are, my darling."

Chiaki smiles in thanks before turning back to me, eyebrow arched. I roll my eyes. "Eye-catching like road kill,"

Tenten shoots me a nasty glare from across the table, causing me to inch closer to Sasuke who is already six inches away from me. "So anyway," Tenten says through gritted teeth. "How are you and Lee?" Chiaki blushes as everyone, even Sasuke, turns to her. Lee grins wildly, answering for her.

"Our relationship is brighter than the moon! Fresher than stream water, and more vibrant than flowers!" he drapes an arm around her shoulders, squeezes her to his chest. "Isn't that right, my shining star?" I smile to myself at the use of her new nickname (Chiaki means shining.)

"Right," she stutters, blush deepening. Suddenly Naruto appears behind Neji, his eyes locked with mine. He nods curtly, motioning for me to follow him as he turns on his heel and heads out the doors. I sigh.

"Another nuisance," I mutter.

"What is?" Chiaki asks, barely able to get the words out as Lee spoon feeds her cinnamon apples.

"Naruto; he wants to talk about Kiba," I say, and rise from my seat.

"Oh yeah, where is Kiba?" Chiaki asks, noticing for the first time that he wasn't sitting with us.

"With the mutts," I say, jabbing my thumb towards him and the group.

"Why? Did you two have a fight?"

"Wake up and smell the hormones," Tenten mutters.

"Yes," I say, glaring at Tenten, who sticks out her tongue in response. "I'll be off, then. See you guys,"

…

"Well this is boring," Ino said apathetically. Sakura shot her a sideways glare as Sara looked on. They had been sitting in the practice garden for over ten minutes in silence, Sakura and Ino finishing their bagels as Sara watched the ground awkwardly.

"Ino, don't be rude," Sakura hissed.

"Well, it's true. We've been sitting here for the longest time doing and saying nothing." She crossed her arms over her chest, directing her attention towards the red-head. "Well, Sara? Are we going to do anything?"

"I have an idea," she said, rising to her feet. There was a new look in her eyes. "Let's get Ohana to join us!"

"Who's Ohana?" Sakura asked, joining Sara and climbing to her feet as well.

"Who's Ohana?" Sara reiterated. "Well she's only one of my bestest friends! She's, keeping this between the two of us," Ino sat behind the two "whispering" girls, rolling her eyes. "She's a super hottie. You'll love her,"

"Well I already have a girlfriend," Sakura said, her eyes locking with Ino's over her shoulder. The blond stood up, frowning.

"Who the fuck cares if she's hot?" she said. "If you want to grab her then let's do this. It's getting hot out here,"

Sara stuck her nose up but complied, nonetheless, leading them to Ohana's cabin. When they reached it, they were surprised to find four girls running around the building frantically. "What's going on here?" Sara asked while taking a step onto the front porch. One of the girls paused to stare at us.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"Ohana; now what's going on?" Sara said, craning her neck to peer into the cabin windows. The girl purposely blocked Sara's view, her arms crossed. She was shaking, her lips turned down in a disheartened frown.

"Ohana…she isn't here. She never came back last night, and we thought maybe she was with someone…" she looked off into the direction of the fields. "But when she wasn't here this morning…" she shook her head, collapsing onto the steps.

Sakura kneeled down beside her, cradling the girl in her arms. "Shhh, it's okay." She turned to Sara. "Get Anko,"

…

Naruto and Sasuke were walking hand in hand towards the pool. It wasn't open today but they figured that since no one would be there they could sneak in and get a little bit of action going. Naruto turned to his quiet boyfriend, head tilted in question. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing, dobe," Sasuke replied, turning his attention towards the sky. "I'm just bored,"

"Bored? With me?" Naruto said, laughing.

"Maybe…." Naruto stopped laughing. "Or maybe you're bored with me."

The two stopped in the middle of the path, Naruto's gaze penetrating into Sasuke's. "Why would you say that?" when the raven-haired boy didn't respond, something clicked in Naruto's head. "Wait, is this about breakfast?"

"Hn,"

"Sasuke! I couldn't help that!" Naruto folded his arms over his chest, pouting. "It's not my fault everyone likes me."

Sasuke turned to the boy who was now facing away from him. He smiled at his boyfriend's childish behavior, reaching over and placing a hand to his cheek. "Hey," he whispered. Naruto turned back to him, eyes softening. "I love you, dobe," and then he kissed him.

…

Classes were canceled today for some reason I couldn't fathom, and even though I knew I should be happy about that since I wouldn't have to sit across form Kiba for four hours, I was utterly poignant. I wouldn't get to see him all day since he was trying so desperately to avoid me, and not having classes helped him with his task of staying clear out of my way.

I admit it. I missed him.

I flop onto my bed, sighing. Tenten looks over to me as she slips on her mid-calf, green converse. "You want to come hang out with me and Neji?" she asks, watching me as if I were a sick child. I shake my head. "Well you can't just more around all day. Get out and find him."

"I can't," I whine. "Kiba's avoiding and as we all know, Kiba's a god at pretty much everything he does. Finding him would be like finding a needle in a hay stack; that's how good he is at avoiding me." I cross my arms over my chest.

"Since when do you idolize dog-breath?" she asks with a breathy laugh.

"I don't!"

"Then why are you depicting him as a god?" she asks.

Damn…

"Leave me alone," I say, and bury m face back into my pillow.

"Well I'm sure you can go hang out with Chiaki," she tries again.

"She's with Lee,"

"Ino and Sakura? They can't possibly _still _be out on their threesome, right? I mean, Ino would've made the girl her lunch by now…"

I shrug. "I don't know where they are, to tell the truth,"

"Go look for them, then. They're not gods like Kiba; they shouldn't be too hard to find." She winks at me and then, before I can protest, is out the door.

…

Lee and Chiaki were sitting beneath a sakura tree in the practice garden, feeding each other grapes. The branches above danced with the rhythm of the wind, causing blossoms to flutter to the ground and pepper Chiaki's head of curls. Lee smiled down at her. "You are so beautiful," he commented.

"Lee," she giggled. "You tell me that every day,"

"But it is true! If I forget to tell you even one day then I will run across campus butt naked!"

Chiaki's eyes widened, and she swatted him on the knee. "NO, Lee," she said. "I don't want anyone else seeing that." She leaned closer, her lips pressing softly against his ear. "That's for me, only,"

Lee's face lit up so bright that even his eyebrows began to grow red. Suddenly Chiaki noticed Kiba standing before them for the first time, and she was the one to blush. "Kiba," she said awkwardly, clearing her throat. "What are you doing here?"

"Just…passing through," he said, eyeing the two with disgust.

"Kiba," Lee said, butting in. "Why are you not with Hinata? You two are like the sun and the moon. You must always be in sync with each other."

Kiba let out a breath through his nose. "That ship has sunk, Lee. Hinata doesn't want to be in sync with me. I was an imitation sun."

"What?" Lee looked confused. "But…you and Hinata are perfect! If the sun and moon are not in sync then the whole world will fall to pieces!"

"I think what Lee means is that there will be no light during day, without you in Hinata's life, which would put out her light of hope." Chiaki added.

"Chiaki," Lee turned to her, eyes larger than usual and hands clasping hers. "That was beautiful! Such poetry should not be unheard! You have a gift, my beautiful shining star!"

"Lee," Chiaki mumbled, embarrassed.

"Uh, guys," Kiba said, directing their attention back to him. "Hinata and I aren't even together. How could we be in sync if weren't dating to begin with?"

"I think you know," Chiaki said, waggling her eyebrows.

"Look, Chiaki, I can do that too!" Lee exclaimed, waggling his eyebrows with her.

"Oh wow, Lee, you do it so much better!"

"No, princess, you are the queen of eyebrow waggling!"

"No, Lee, you are the prince!"

"No, you are the shining princess-"

"GUYS," Kiba shouted. They both turned to him, startled. "What should I do?"

Kiba's face crumpled as he fell to his knees, finally giving into the reality that he missed Hinata. "I…I need her. Being without her is so lonely. She was like a best friend to me."

"Best friend? How dare you say something so awful!" Chiaki scolded. "Hinata was not like a friend to you, but a _girlfriend._"

"Well, uh," Kiba stuttered, face reddening.

"Just go to her; make beautiful lilies and poppies with her! Go be youthful!" Lee shouted.

"Lee, keep it P-G!" Kiba shouted.

"Yes, Lee," Chiaki said before falling to his side, fainting from embarrassment.

…

He watched from the bushes as police cars, ambulances, and campers crowded around the cabin. Girls were huddled together, their backs wracking with sobs; men were searching the cabin while other comforted the campers; police were scouting the forests, and he knew that they would find her eventually.

But that wasn't a bad thing. He'd left not traces so he wouldn't get caught, and that was how it was supposed to go. He wanted her to be found, buried, have closure. And he would be there, in the background, to watch it all go down. He wanted to have closure with her. She needed to be with him, even in death. He would find a way to give her a piece of him to take with her to the afterworld. For her sake.

…

I open my eyes at the sound of someone knocking furiously at my door. Once I had changed into my pajamas (boxers and a tank top,) I had fallen asleep after Tenten left, too tired and miserable to do anything else. I crawl out of bed, stumbling towards the door. When I open it, I'm surprised to find Kiba. "Kiba?" I say, my heart fluttering. "What are you doing here?"

Kiba's eyes rake over my body, a blush finding its way onto his cheeks. "I think the question is: what are you wearing?"

.

"Kiba," I stutter, pressing my palms to his chest and shutting my eyes tightly. "Stop looking!"

"I'm not!"

"You perv!"

"I am not a perv!" he shouted, grabbing my wrists. My eyes fluttered open at the sudden jerk he gave me. "Stop calling me that, would you? Kami," he raked a hand through his hair, his other hand still gripping my wrist tightly. "I was going to apologize to you but you're just being a bitch again."

"You're the one who keeps walking in one me like…like this!" I retort, pushing him. He grabs my other wrist and pulls me with him, his jaw set.

"Hinata,"

But he can't say any more because he's cut off by the sound of a wailing siren. "What's that?" shout over the noise.

"I don't know,"

And then Anko's voice comes on over the speaker. "Campers, do not be alarmed but we are putting the camp on lockdown. Stay where you are and don't move. We are in a code red."

My eyes widen as something behind Kiba's back clicks. He swivels around, jars the doorknob. "They locked us in here!" he exclaims.

"What!"

The sirens are still going off in the background. My eyes catch something outside the window and when I look I see police officers scouting the area. "Oh my Kami," I breathe.

"What?" I point towards the window. Kiba's eyes widen when he sees the officers outside, and then he pulls me to his chest.

"You don't think this has anything to do with…with the case, do you?" I ask.

"I…you mean…someone was murdered again this year? Like back then?" I nod. "Are you saying this is like, tradition, or something?"

"How would I know? I'm not in on it!"

"Well," Kiba snorts. "Thank Kami for that," and then his gaze softens as he realizes something. "Thank Kami for that," he whispers and pulls me closer into his chest.

"For what?" I ask, voice muffled from his shirt.

"Thank Kami that psycho didn't go after you," he explains. "I'd… be lost without my moon."

"Your what?" I ask pulling away.

"Uh…nothing…"

**A/N: **Nice place to stop, right? No cliff hanger or anything… Well actually, if you think about it, it is kind of a cliff hanger… Oh well, hope you e enjoyed. Comment and make me happy :)


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

**A/N: **Hey guys :) So inspired after that last review so I decided to write this chapter right now. I hope to please every single one of you in a different way with this story. Pleasing is what I do, whether it's entertaining with a story or entertaining with food :D Sp when I open my restaurant I want you all to visit it :DD

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

I don't know how long Kiba and I had been sitting in my cabin, bored and hungry as hell. But it was quite a long time until it hit me. An aura. And that's when I knew why we were all on lock down, and that the history of this camp was most definitely repeating itself. The aura was off in the distance, near the woods. The bark of the trees radiated a bright red; it was murder.

Kiba shifts in his spot on my bed, twisting a lock of hair around his finger. "Do you have anything to do?" he asks. I was lying on Tenten's bed above him, more comfortable on the top than on the bed with "bloody" sheets. Kiba had somehow forgotten about the sheets and hadn't asked where the blood was. Thank Kami.

"No," I say, leaning over the edge so that my hair falls like a curtain, encircling me. Kiba purses his lips, sitting up with the help of his elbows.

"Well let's play a game, then," he suggests.

Games? Really? When we were on lock down, this was all he could think of? While he was busy trying to save himself from death of boredom I was trying to figure out who had been murdered. It must have been a girl since my father had mentioned the serial killer back home having an interest in pretty, young girls.

It made me think: what if the serial killer back there was now here, at this camp, killing of the pretty girls here. Perfect place, considering there were bunches of them, roaming around in booty shorts, and not to mention swimsuits once the pool opened. I close my eyes, massage my temples.

Kiba's stomach growls then and I open my eyes to stare back at his sheepish expression. "I wonder if they'll come door to door and feed us," he says thoughtfully.

"Who knows," I sigh, crawling down the ladder and making my way towards my suitcase. I kneel down beside it, reach in and pull out a bag of veggie chips. "Here," I say, and toss him the bag. "They aren't the best, but…" I shrug.

"What are they, exactly?" he asks, eyeing one of the chips in his hand.

"They're chips made of vegetables," he raises an eyebrow. "The flavors are carrot, spinach and, of course, potato," Kiba grins and shoves a handful into his mouth. Then he looks back up at me guiltily.

"You want some?" he asks through a mouthful of chips. I shake my head, smile gracing my lips.

"Kiba," I sigh. He raises both eyebrows, prompting me to continue. I fold my arms over my chest, shivering. It was getting cold; it was probably night time already. Kiba had closed the curtains though because the scene outside had made him uncomfortable. "Can we just pretend like our fight never happened?"

He swallows. "Yeah, I thought we already had, remember? I can't be the sun without the moon."

"I still have no idea what that means," I say. "But…I get the feeling that you don't believe me. I would never use you, okay? I care too much about-" I stop, throat closing tightly. The room had gotten hotter, the atmosphere thicker, but it was still too cold.

"Hinata? Are you okay?" Kiba asks, crumpling the bag of chips and throwing them aside as he moves to be by my side. I shake my head, shaking uncontrollably. "Hinata, what's wrong? Are you old?"

I hadn't a clue what was going on with my body but I knew it had nothing to do with the shift in temperature. I was attracted to the window suddenly, and my feet began to move on their own accord, brushing past Kiba as if he was just an illusion. He calls after me but I don't answer, nor stop. I pause before the window, fingertips brushing the maroon material.

"Hinata, what's gotten into you?" he tries again, gripping my shoulders. But it's not use. I've pulled back the curtains and as soon as I do, I'm met with Ohana's face, plastered to the window. Blood is oozing down from her temple to her neck and her throat has been slit. I jerk away, a scream ripping through my throat.

"Hinata!" Kiba catches me, pulls me into his warm embrace in a matter of milliseconds. He's gripping me so tightly that it almost stops my trembling. My heart is beating too fast, my breathing is too shallow.

Ohana's face…it was just like that night when I saw that girl's face plastered to my bedroom window. But what did it mean? Was Ohana the one who was murdered?

Kiba reaches out a hand to draw the curtains back together, and then he picks me up and sets me down on my bed. I shudder at the thought of some girl's blood being on these sheets, someone else being murdered on this very bed. And then I think of Ohana, her body discarded in the woods, most likely.

I'm shaking again, which causes Kiba to pull my blankets over me. "Hinata," he looks down at me with concern-filled eyes. "What's going on? What did you see?" I don't answer. Tears are brimming in my eyes, leaking from the corners and spilling down my face. He must see how badly I'm trembling and takes it upon himself to warm me up.

He crawls into bed beside me, wraps the blankets around the both of us and then encircles his arms around me. I bury my head into his chest, embracing his comforting aura which almost completely blocks out Ohana's aura. Was Kiba…my refuge? My refuge for disturbing auras, I mean. Could he be my sun; whatever the hell that meant.

…

"Neji," Tenten said while gripping his arm tightly. "I'm scared. Why is the camp on lockdown?"

Neji had an idea of what was going on, thanks to Hinata's message. The aura on her bed sheets, the newspaper article-it all made sense. The serial killer to whom Hiashi had spoken of was the same man killing the girls at this camp… Or, that was just a hunch, so to speak.

"I don't know what's happening, Tenten, but don't be afraid. It's just…a little confusion, I'm sure."

"I'm hungry," she complained.

"So am I," He said.

"Neji?"

"Hm?"

"Am…am I going to sleep with you tonight?" she asked, twiddling her fingers nervously. Neji's face, although impassive, was so hot you could cook eggs on his cheeks. He licked his lips.

"I…why would you say that?"

"Because they haven't let us out yet. I'll probably have to sleep here," Tenten answered. Was Neji imagining it, or was there a glimmer of hope in her eyes?

"I guess, then," he muttered.

"Can I sleep in your bed, then?" she asked, clasping her hands together in a begging motion. His face grew hotter with each second.

"Why would you want to do that?" he stuttered out.

"Because," she bit her lip. "Neji, I've liked you for some time."

"Liked? I thought you admired me?" he was grinning slyly, inching closer to the brunette with each word. She blushed.

"Well, I mean… I do admire you. You're strong, talented, brave, good-looking-"

She was cut off when Neji's lips found hers, muffling her words. Tenten leaned her head back as Neji snaked an arm up to caress the back of it. And then…

The power went out.

"Dammit," Tenten screeched.

"You know, Tenten. I think that's actually a good thing,"

…

Lee and Chiaki had been under the same sakura tree all day, and were still there when the campus was put on lockdown. The park gates had been automatically locked and all of the streetlights surrounding them had flickered on. Lee was currently holding Chiaki in his arms, leaning against the tree trunk and suppressing a yawn,

"I'm so cold, Lee," Chiaki said, teeth chattering. The boy shrugged off the green jacket he wore to reveal a skin-tight, army-green shirt. Chiaki blushed madly as her boyfriend draped the jacket over her shoulders. "Lee, won't you be cold?" she asked, unsure.

"Oh course not," he assured with a laugh. "I wear that jacket for one sole purpose: if it gets cold then I will be so overly heated from wearing my jacket that I will not be affected by the bitter air." She looked at him doubtfully. "Really; my uncle, Guy, tight that trick to me. He used to be in the army." (THIS IS NOT REAL! DO NOT TAKE MY ADVICE IF YOU ARE STUCK IN A SNOW STORM, EXC!)

"Well, okay," she agreed while snuggling closer to his chest. "But you have to use it too. I wouldn't want you to suddenly freeze." She handed him part of the jacket and smiled when he placed it over the two of them.

"Lee," Chiaki said suddenly, cutting through the silence that had enveloped them a second ago. "You have really nice abs." Lee grinned madly.

"Yes, well, with an uncle like Guy-"

The power went out.

"Lee," Chiaki whispered, gripping him tightly.

"I have other nice attributes. Would you like to see those?" Lee continued on, unnoticing.

"Lee," Chiaki said. "The power just went out."

"Oh...Well, with you, my shining star, we do not need light!" Chiaki smiled to herself. "Now, would you like to see my other attributes?"

"No, Lee," she said, resting her head in his lap and closing her eyes. "I think I'd like to just sleep with you." Lee blushed, and as soon as Chiaki realized what she had just said, she blushed too. "No, I mean, I didn't mean it that way!" she shouted, sitting up.

Lee's hand caressed the top of her head, pushing it gently back onto his lap. "Shhh," he said. "Go to sleep,"

…

Sakura and Ino were being personally escorted back to their cabin so they wouldn't have to sleep outside. Their hands were intertwined and the police man escorting them kept shooting the girls odd, uncomfortable looks. "This is it," Ino said, stopping the man.

"Oh, alright," he said, and then unlocked the door for them. "Good night, girls," he tipped his hat.

"Wait, aren't you going to check the room?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah, what if the serial killer is in there?" Ino added.

The police man's face flushed with embarrassment. "Of course," she said before entering the room. The lights were off. "Shit, the light switch won't work," he muttered.

"Who's there?" someone asked from the other side of the room.

"Police," the man answered while drawing his gun. "This is a girl's cabin. What's a guy doing in here? Who are you? Show yourself!"

"Relax, copper," Sakura said while shoving the gun back into his holster. The man looked to her in disbelief. "That's Kiba, right?"

"Yeah, and I think something's wrong with Hinata," he answered.

"What do you mean?" she inquired while stepping into the room, Ino in suit. The police officer gazed on into the dark room in disbelief. Then, seeing as how they didn't need him, left, locking the door.

…

"I have a flashlight," Ino says while retrieving one from her shoulder bag under her bed.

"Why do you have a flashlight?" Sakura asks while taking a seat on the edge of Hinata's bed.

"Ow," Kiba says as Sakura's rump makes contact with his head.

"Oh shit, Kiba, what are you doing in there? ." Sakura glowers down at him even thought he can't see it.

"She's shivering; she needed body warmth,"

"You'd better have a shirt on," she mutters.

"Got it," Ino says while turning on the light. "And I have this because we're at a camp, which means dark forests, camp fires, and, well…what do you think of when you say camp?"

"Whatever," Sakura says. "Shine that thing towards Hina," Ino does as she's told and they both narrow their gazes at the two in bed.

"Kiba…what happened?" Ino asks, bewildered.

"I have no idea…" he says. "She just started shivering, so I was like, 'Hey, maybe she's cold," but then she went into, like, a trance and walked towards the window. When she pulled back the curtains she screamed, like she'd seen a ghost, and that's when she fell asleep in my arms."

"Hm," Sakura says thoughtfully.

"That makes no sense," Ino mumbles.

"Yeah, I don't get it," Sakura agrees.

My eyes flutter open at the sound of voices and I'm surprised to find Ino, Sakura, and Kiba all staring down at me in concern. It's dark but there's a glow from a flashlight eliminating their faces. "Kiba," I mumble. He pulls me closer to his chest, his hands tracing soothing patterns down my back.

"Hinata, are you okay?" Sakura asks. "Kiba told us what happened. Do you remember anything?"

I nod. I remembered everything, and my memories had stayed with me all the way to my dreams where I kept seeing Ohana's bloody face. I shuddered and Kiba pulled me even closer, making it hard to breathe. "Well, Kami, let her have some air, boy!" Ino scolds. "No wonder she's acting freaky; there's no oxygen in her brain!"

"Shut up, Ino," Kiba says. The duo shares a confused look.

"Well," Sakura says. "If Hinata doesn't want to talk then I think Ino and I will be off to bed." She grabs her girlfriend's hand and tugs her towards the beds opposite of mine. When it's quiet and the girls have gone to sleep, Kiba rustles my hair.

"Hey," he whispers.

"Hi," I say.

"You scared the crap out of me… I almost shitted my pants back there," Kiba says.

"Sorry," I whisper, wrapping my arms around Kiba's waist.

"So what did you see?" he asks.

"I…I thought I saw something… But maybe I was wrong."

"Saw what? What is 'something'?" Kiba presses, determined for some plausible answers.

"Kiba," I say, steering the conversation away from this once since, you know, I was beginning to be an expert at it. "You're my sun… Show me some light,"

"So you finally understand, huh?" he says with a breathy laugh.

"Not really," I admit. "But…I need you…more than ever,"

"I need you too," he says.

"Don't let go of me," I say. "Don't let them get me,"

"Let who get you?" he asks, worried.

But I don't answer. Instead I poke my head out of the comfort of Kiba's chest and peck him on the nose. I can tell he's staring, wide-eyed and startled as I nestle back into my cocoon of warmth and fall asleep.

…

Naruto and Sasuke were at the pool and, as they had imagined, it was secluded. But once they locked everything down the doors to the pool room closed and locked and the lights had shut off minutes after. The blond had fallen asleep on the raven-haired boy's lap once the lights had shut off; obviously the dark triggered Naruto's sleep reflexes. Sasuke would have to use that to his advantage sometime.

"Naruto," he whispered. "Dobe,"

He was getting extremely uncomfortable now. Naruto's mouth was like a wide open cave when we slept, snores erupting like volcanic explosions. And each time he snored, his mouth opened and closed to rhythm of the snore. In short, Naruto's lips kept rubbing back and forth over Sasuke's crotch and he was getting hard, fast.

"Naruto," he said through gritted teeth. "This damned moron is hopeless,"

Little did he know Naruto was actually awake. The blonde grinned to himself. He could definitely use this to his advantage.

**A/N: **I hope that was good! Lol and I hope you all weren't creeped out by my Narusasu seen, there. I've been having little Naruto love spasms lately and I needed to have a Naruto love seen in this chapter, to get it out of my system -_- Like always, I am a greedy review hog so please, feed my piggy and review!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

**A/N: **Hi guys :) So many positive reviews! Wow, you guys are spoiling me, lol. Well, because you guys are so great, I'm going to keep updating rapidly, since I have nothing else to do now that it's summer -_- Legend of Korra, Pretty Little Liars, ThunderCats, lol that's my summer.

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

When I open my eyes this morning, the sun is filtering in bright and gaze-killing. I close them quickly, reach for my iPod to check the time. But I can't reach the bedside table because something is blocking me from the side of my bed. I open my eyes again, slowly, and peer up at Kiba who has his arms wrapped loosely around me. His mouth is open slightly in an "o" shape as he breathes softly; his eyes are shut, his eyelashes framing the skin beneath them delicately; his canine teeth, sharp as a dog's, poke out from beneath his upper lip.

Kiba looked too cute when he was asleep. But what really shocked me was the fact that he'd stayed in that position all night, holding me even through sleep. He'd kept his promise not to ever let go of me…

A blush ripens across my face as the memories from last night wash over me. And then I remember Ohana's face at my window; the blood. I swallow. Ohana was dead, somewhere in the woods. Were we still on lockdown, or had they finally found her?

I try wriggling out of Kiba's embrace but it's no use; his hold is too strong, even with how loose it is. He must be really strong, I muse. But I had to find the time. That's when I noticed Sakura peering at me with one eye open and the other shut. A chill ran through my spine at the thought of her watching me like that. How long had she been staring at me? "Sakura," I whisper. Kiba's ears wiggle but he's still sound asleep.

"Hey, sleepyhead; how was your night?" she waggles her eyebrows. "With Kiba?"

I ignore her question and get right to business. "Are we still on lockdown?" she shrugs. "What time is it?"

Sakura yawns as she reaches over to find her bag. She flips open her phone. "It's twelve,"

"In the afternoon!" I shout.

Kiba jolts awake, eyes open wide in alarm. He peers down at me, a mixture of embarrassment and astonishment on his face. I guess he'd just realized we'd been sleeping like this all night… "What happened?" Ino asks from across the room. Her hair is tousled, ponytail loose and messy.

"It's noon," I say. "And I don't think the lockdown is over, either,"

"Oh," she says, slumps back into her pillow. "We slept forever,"

"Hello," I say. "Wake-up call; Ohana is missing! All you can think about is sleep? Really?"

"Wait," Sakura says, alert. "How did you know Ohana was missing? You weren't at the crime scene."

"You were?" I ask, my body going icy-hot. She nods.

"Yeah, Sara wanted Ohana to join us on our threesome," Ino chimes in, voice muffled from her pillow.

"So how did you know?" Kiba asks, looking down at me with scrutiny. I shrug.

"Sakura…said it in her sleep."

"What?" she slaps a hand to her mouth. "I sleep talk? What else have I said?" her face is bright red and her catlike eyes are huge. I inwardly grin.

"Just that Ino has sexy eyes and Naruto's dick is huge…not that you care," I lie.

"WHAT!"

"I have sexy eyes?" Ino gives her a lop-sided grin. "You too, pussy princess,"

(Ino gave her that nickname because her eyes resemble that of a cat's. This has nothing to do with you-know-what. -_-)

"Hinata," Kiba murmurs as Ino and Sakura banter about what attributes they find sexy. I look up at him and when I see the look in his eyes I know he's seen right through my lie. One white lie leads to another, much bigger one. Was I up for that? I'd already lied about the bed sheets and my "gift," I really didn't need to lie anymore. Karma would eventually catch up to me.

I sigh through my nose. "Yeah,"

"How did you know that?" he inquires.

"I-"

"And I want the truth. How did you know about Ohana being missing; how did you know about the ongoing murders here? I don't see any blood on these sheets." I look up at him in disbelief. So he'd noticed after all. Dammit. "Trust me, I checked last night-every inch. I want the truth, Hinata. Something's going on here, something drastic, and I want to know what it is." He clasps my hand in both of his. "Please, no secrets."

I press my lips together. This secret was one only my family knew of. I could never tell anyone else. It would change everything. He wouldn't even believe me anyways. Not unless I proved it to him somehow. By finding Ohana's body in the woods… But then he might think I was the one who killed her. Plus I knew about her being missing and I wasn't at the crime scene! Shit, I already looked suspicious!

"Hinata," Kiba says, waiting. I swallow. Was this it? I'd need Neji's help if I wanted to prove it to him.

"Kiba, I can't tell you here," I whisper. My voice is hoarse, and I wince at how weak and scared I sound. His eyebrows push together.

"Why not?" he asks.

"Because," I swallow again. Something was in my throat; fear or cowardliness, I had no idea which. It might have been both. "Ino and Sakura can't know about this. Neji…Neji is the only other one who knows, other than my family."

"Knows what?"

"I told you; you have to wait until we can get out of here."

I couldn't believe it. I was going to tell him. I was actually going to tell him.

"Hey guys," Ino says. "Where do you think Tenten is?" Kiba and I share a look.

"With Neji," Sakura, Kiba, and I chorus.

"Boy, am I out of the loop," Ino mutters.

…

Tenten's eyes fluttered open at the blazing sun's persistence to pry her eyes open by burning holes into her eyelids. She moaned, starting to roll over, but found she couldn't because of someone's body. She glanced at the roadblock and her eyes went huge. Neji was asleep beside her, wearing nothing but the blankets around his waist. How did she know he had no boxers on? Because she could see right through the white, almost transparent sheets.

"Oh my Kami," she whispered. She glanced down at herself, relief washing over her when she saw that she still had some clothes on; a bra and shorts. Had Neji redressed her after they had…Had they done anything? She couldn't even remember.

"Tenten," Neji murmured from beside her. She glanced over to him, cheeks flushing madly at the way he was gazing at her. His hair had come out of his low ponytail, furling around him like a blanket; his skin looked creamy in texture, matching his eyes, which stared at her with such loving intensity it made her pause to catch her breath. She was getting lightheaded.

"I need air," she said frantically. "I need air!" Tenten started kicking off the blankets that were clinging to her ankles, tying her to the bed. She was breathing rapidly, her claustrophobia getting the best of her. "Air," she screeched while clawing at Neji's bare chest.

"Tenten," he said, grabbing her wrists and pulling her closer to his chest. Warmth was radiating off of him, suffocating the poor brunette.

"Air," she muttered. "Air,"

"Tenten," Neji wrapped both arms around her, pulling her into his embrace. "Are you claustrophobic?" She nodded from inside of his cocoon. He sighed, using his feet to kick off the blankets binding her feet together. She let out a satisfied breath. "Better?"

"Yeah," and then Tenten noticed the bulge rubbing against her leg and her breathing grew rapid again.

"What? What now?" Neji asked frantically, concerned.

"You-you're naked!" she yelled while scrambling out of his arms. Neji's face was beet red. "Explain yourself," she demanded, scowling at him weakly.

"Tenten," he sighed.

"What happened last night? After the lights went out?"

"You and I…made out," he explained. She looked at him unbelievingly. "Really, we did. Then we climbed into bed and…you took off your shirt. But that's it,"

"Then why are you naked!"

"Because I sleep naked," Neji explained, embarrassed.

Tenten's eyes widened, her lips puckering. "Oh,"

"Yeah," he said tiredly. "That's why I have the single bed, right here in the corner where no one can see my junk."

"Don't-don't say it like that," Tenten whispered, looking away from embarrassment.

"Am I making you nervous?"

"Neji,"

"What?"

"It doesn't matter that you're in the corner," she said. "Because these sheets are pretty much see-through." Neji's eyes widened in horror. "Naruto probably watches you with night-vision goggles while you sleep,"

"Tenten, that's disgusting,"

"I know," she said, crossing her arms. "But you provoked it,"

"Are we still on lockdown?" he asked.

"Yeah, I guess…"

"Wanna have a little fun?"

"Um-"

But before she could answer Neji had gotten a hold of her and was kissing her wildly beneath the blankets.

…

"Naruto," Sasuke said as the blond began to wake up.

"Huh," he mumbled, half asleep.

"We're still locked in here,"

"Shit,"

…

"Okay guys, we need a game plan," I say while pacing the room back and forth.

"Hinata, are you sure you can walk? You gave us quite a scare last night," Sakura says, concerned.

"I'm fine," I assure.

"What game plan?" Ino inquires. "I just wanna sleep,"

"You've been sleeping for, like, two days straight," Sakura says, deadpanning.

"Have not," Ino argues. "I went on your dumb date…And look how that turned up,"

"Guys," I sigh.

"Hinata, is the door locked?" Kiba asks while crawling out of bed. He was wearing what he had on yesterday; sweats and a grey, skin-tight shirt. His hair was messy in a sexy way, ruffled like he'd been playing dirty, and his eyes glimmered a golden-brown. Something flashed hot inside of my stomach.

"Um, yeah," I say while jarring the doorknob.

"So we're still on lockdown," he states.

"Then how will we get out?"

"Wait, what? You guys are trying to escape lockdown?" Sakura asks, bewildered.

"Duh," Ino says from the corner of her bed where she and Sakura were sitting, running their fingers through each other's hair and gazing into each other's eyes. "They're probably starving; sneaking away for some breakfast? I'm in,"

"No, Ino," I sigh, shaking my head. "We're heading over to Neji's cabin,"

"Why?" Kiba asks.

I turn to him, eyes set on his as intently as a gentle step on glass. It must get through to him that this is part of my telling him my secret, and he nods curtly. "I have an idea," he says suddenly.

"What?"

Kiba comes up beside me, pulling out a nail file from his pant pocket. I look at him oddly. "Why do you have a nail file?"

"Have you seen his nails?" Ino asks, astonished that I haven't noticed them yet.

"Have you seen his teeth?" Sakura adds.

"Yes," I bite out, upset that they know more about Kiba than I do. Wow, I was a jealous pig… I glance down at Kiba's finger nails which he is now filing. They were pretty sharp; I was sure they could cut through one of those pizza roll packages but just grazing his nail across the plastic.

"What are you-"

I pause when I see Kiba slip his nail inside the key hole and finger it. I blush madly, thoughts running through my mind of what he could be doing to me. I shake my head, stopping myself in time to hear the lock click and the door swing open.

"Wow, Kiba, join the CIA," Ino applauds with a handclap. I turn to him, eyes wide.

"How did you-" he cuts me off by grabbing my hand and pulling me alongside him, out the door.

"Bring us back some breakfast," Ino hollers behind us.

…

Chiaki opened her eyes to find Lee staring back at her. She squealed in surprise, jerking backwards. "Lee," she exclaimed. "How long have you been watching me like that?" he smiled warmly down at her.

"Not too long…maybe ten minutes…" he answered thoughtfully.

"Not too long, huh?" she said sardonically. "But…I don't want you to see my sleeping face,"

"Do not fret, my shining star, you are more beautiful than a cat giving birth!"

"Um, Lee…" Chiaki says, putting her face in her hands. "That's not beautiful…"

"What are you saying? Birth is the most beautiful thing in the world!" Chiaki sighed. "Which means you are more beautiful than the most beautiful thing in the world…" he smiled tenderly.

"Aw, Lee," she said bashfully.

Said boy leaned down right then and planted a kiss to her forehead, shocking the timid Chiaki tenfold. She glanced up at him, a rosy blush dusting her cheeks. "Maybe there is something cuter than birth…" he muttered.

…

When we reach Neji's cabin, we're out of breath and scared shitless. There were so many cops and counselors that Kiba and I had to hop into bushes at least seven times. I knock on Neji door rapidly, checking behind my shoulder to make sure there were no cops. Kiba places a hand on my shoulder to comfort me, but it does nothing of the sort. "Kiba," I breathe. "What if we're caught?"

"We'll be fine," he assures me. And then it hits me that the door is still locked and Neji couldn't answer it if he wanted to.

"Crap," I say. "Kiba, can that lock trick work from the outside, in?"

"Dammit," Kiba says in realization. "I'll try,"

Suddenly I see Neji through the window. He and Tenten are sitting up in bed, watching us from inside. My eyes widen when I notice Tenten doesn't have a shirt on, and neither does Neji, which actually isn't too shocking. "Kiba," I whisper. Bu as soon as they see my lips moving, Tenten runs to the window and slams on it to keep me from saying another word. She shakes her head, eyes narrowed.

I give her an innocent look and then turn to Kiba, who's staring at her with wide eyes and red cheeks. I slap my hand over my forehead. "Kiba," I scorn. "Stop looking, you perv!"

"Hey," he exclaims. "I told you, I'm not a perv,"

"Then why are you looking?"

"I'm not!"

"Yeah you are,"

Neji appears at the window, blocking the view of Tenten's chest. Kiba rolls his eyes. "Hinata, yours are way bigger. No need to worry,"

"What?"

The door clicks just then and he gives me a proud grin. "All done," he says while pushing the door open.

"How do you know what size I am?" I ask while tugging at his wrist to stop him from entering the room. I peer inside, shout, "Put on a shirt," and then turn back to him, arms crossed. He leans in closer, his canines poking out from beneath his upper lip as he gives me a sly smile.

"Remember that day in the rain?" he asks. "And also, I slept all night with you in my arms. Your chest was pressed so close to mine I could practically measure them." My whole face is icy-hot, and the blush runs down to my neck and arms. He shrugs. "Don't worry about it, Hina. I'm no perv but it's not to say that I didn't like it."

"Hurry and get in here before a cop sees you two," Tenten hollers. Kiba grins, stepping inside as I gape at him from the doorstep.

.

When Tenten drags me in and shuts the door, reality splashes in my face and I blink. "What do you guys need?" Neji asks.

"How did you guys get out?" Tenten adds curiously.

"Kiba's a master lock-picker," I say, jabbing my thumb towards him. He shrugs. "And Neji…I need to tell him."

Neji's eyebrows furrow, and his gaze darts between Kiba, Tenten, and I. "Well then Tenten will have to leave." He sighs.

"What? No," she exclaims, stomping her bare foot on the ground. "I don't wanna go,"

"I don't really want you to either," he mutters, massaging his temples. "Hinata, are you sure about this? This is serious and we all know you and Kiba fight a lot." He turns to the brunette. "We need to know he won't go off and blab if you two get mad at each other again."

"I swear," Kiba says, putting his hand to his heart. "But is this secret so big that I need to swear?"

"Yes," Neji answers for me. "This is the biggest secret of probably the century,"

"Um, hello," Tenten clears her throat. We all turn to her. "You're getting me kind of angsty, here,"

"Hinata," Neji starts.

"Tenten," I sigh. "Do you promise to keep this secret with you to your grave?"

"Sure," she shrugs.

I sigh. "Okay…"

"Wait, you needed permission from Neji to tell me this secret?" Kiba interrupts just as I've found the courage to spit it out. I slump my shoulders.

"No, he's a witness… in case you don't believe me," Kiba and Tenten stare back at me blankly. Here we go… "I…can sense dead bodies…"

**A/N: **A-hah! Cliff hanger! WOO-HOO! Sorry guys, but I thought that would really get you into the story, hehe . Comment, and as always, hope you enjoyed :DD


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

**A/N: **WOW chapter fifteen already? OMG lol . I cannot wait for the episode where Naruto and Sasuke fight comes out. I read somewhere that Masashi Kishimoto wants Hinata to be with Naruto, so I'm uber excited about that… IN YOUR FACE, SAKURA! Hah! So, ahem, anyways, comment and, as always, ENJOY :D

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

"I can sense the dead…"

Kiba's face remains impassive; his jaw is set, waiting, his arms are crossed over his chest, and his eyes are narrowed, but something flashes in them when I let the secret out. Tenten looks like she's about start laughing. Of course, Tenten would.

"I'm being one hundred percent, dead-ass serious right now," I say, making it clear that this is no joke.

"You can _what_?" Tenten says, leaning in with raised eyebrows.

"Sense the-"

But before I can even get the whole of it out, she's laughing unbelievingly. "You…really? Can you really?"

"Yes," I say through gritted teeth.

"Is this why you have nightmares all the time?" she asks, putting two and two together.

"You're quick to think," Neji comments.

"Show me how it works," Kiba says, interrupting them.

"Well, I can't really _show _you,"

"Then explain it."

Kiba looks like he believes me, but for some odd reason he also looks angry; he's frowning. "Ok," I say, suddenly very nervous as his gaze penetrates mine. "I see auaras, actually. Red represents murder, purple to suicide, and green to accidental death." I glance at Neji, who looks like he's regretting this decision.

"So the blood…" Kiba says.

"Wasn't really blood," I finish. "It was an aura-a red one,"

"So this girl…from years back was murdered in your bed. And you knew it before we even entered that office?"

"Wait, what?" Tenten says, confused.

"They broke into an office," Neji explains.

"For no reason," Kiba adds.

"Hey," I defend. "I couldn't tell you before…"

I'm almost on the verge of tears now. Kiba looks so angry with me; I could just curl up and die. I wanted things to go back to the way they were last night, with Kiba's arms around me and my chest pressed up against his.

"You're telling me now," Kiba retorts. "Why couldn't you do it earlier, before we were nearly killed?"

"_What_?" Tenten says again.

"Hey, Inuzuka, you'd better knock this shit off." Neji steps in. "This is a big secret, and you need to stop acting like an asshole,"

"I'm sorry," I whisper. "I didn't want to cause turmoil…"

"What, Hinata, no," Tenten says. "It's not your fault,"

"Yes it is," I argue. "I shouldn't have put Kiba through all of that danger,"

"Hinata," he sighs, stepping closer. Neji narrows his gaze on him, alert. "I didn't mean to get angry… Just keep explaining." I peer up at him. "I want to know everything about it. I want to know how I can protect you." My breath catches in my throat.

"That's my job," Neji says.

"Hinata," Kiba continues, ignoring Neji's comment. "What happened last night, did this have anything to do with it?" I nod. "Okay then, tell me everything."

"Well, sometimes I'll see the auras and I'll know there's a body out there; I'll also know how they were murdered. But sometimes," I turn to Neji. "Sometimes I see them in dreams. Normally in the dreams I watch them die," I turned back to Kiba. "But in a recent one, _I was_ the one to die." Kiba's eyes widen. "No, I mean, I'm not going to die," I assure. "I was another person. I was…Natsuko,"

"What? You dreamed about Natsuko?" Kiba reiterates.

"Yeah; her father was screaming at me, I mean, her, and then he pushed me down the stairs and…"I shake my head.

"Kami," Kiba breathes. "So then explain last night," I nod, swallow.

"Last night, I saw Ohana. This has only happened to me once before, so I was really freaked out." Tenten looks like she's about to cry. "That one night in my room I saw a girl's face plastered to my window. Her neck was slit and she was bleeding. Neji came in and when he looked out the window he said he didn't see anything.

"Last night I saw Ohana's face plastered to the window. She was in the same condition. I know she was murdered and…I know where her body is," I look down at my feet. Neji sighs.

"Well, now that you two know, you cannot tell a single soul, understand?" he says. Tenten and Kiba both nod. "Good, now Hinata, where is Ohana's body?"

"In the woods," I murmur.

"Should we tell the cops?" Tenten asks.

"No, they'll be suspicious," Neji says. "They'll have to find her on their own. Maybe if we plant a note "from the killer" then we can lead them to the body…"

"That's pretty risky, Neji," Kiba says, unsure.

"I thought you wanted to tell dad," I chime in. Neji purses his lips. "Ohana is dead because we didn't tell dad about the information we found in that article," I say. "We can't let Natsuko die, too. We need to prevent this."

It was true. I blamed myself for Ohana's death. I might have been able to prevent it if Neji and I had told dad about this camp's history. But of course, I wanted to be a ninja. I was so selfish, and it cost an innocent, sweet girl her life.

"Hinata, do you blame yourself for this?" Neji inquires. I don't answer, just sniff up the tears I know will come soon. "Hinata, it was-"

"There's no time for talking," I interrupt. "We need to prevent Natsuko's death. Call dad," Neji stares at me, long and hard, and then reaches for his cell phone. That's when we hear a click and then the speaker phone comes on.

"Hello campers; there has been a tragic accident," Iruka says, instead of Anko. "One of your fellow students, Ohana, passed away last night. She was," he clears his throat. "Murdered…We found her body in the lake behind the woods. No one is permitted in the woods, but lockdown is officially over. Please proceed to breakfast. Thank you."

The four of us gape at each other. "They're releasing us?" Neji states the obvious.

"But there's still a murderer out there," Tenten says.

"We'll have to stick together," Kiba jumps in, taking charge. "Stay together at all times, in at least pairs of two. Hinata," he turns to me. "I'm not letting you out of my sight. I swear,"

…

Naruto and Sasuke turn to each other in awe. "Someone was murdered?" Naruto says, nearly in tears.

"I knew her," Sasuke says quietly, aloof. "She wasn't too troublesome. It's sad she had to go," Naruto nods in agreement, and then stands up.

"Let's get out of here before we're caught," he suggests. Sasuke takes his hand and climbs to his feet. Then they exit the pool are, hand in hand.

…

"I can't believe she's dead," Sakura says, astonished.

"I mean, I thought she was just missing, but she was _murdered_?" Ino adds.

The blond wraps her arms around her girlfriend, who's now in tears. Suddenly the door opens and in comes a crying, devastated Chiaki being practically carried in Lee's arms. Ino and Sakura look up, and then their eyes soften. "Chiaki," Sakura sniffs. "Are you okay?"

Lee sets her down on her bed and takes a seat beside her, rubbing her back soothingly. "I was…" she chokes on her words, stops.

"She was really good friends with Ohana," Lee says for her, his gaze sympathetic.

"Oh, Chiaki," Ino says.

"I'm fine," she says through sobs. "Just…Can I have something to eat, please?"

"Yes, my princess," Lee says, rising to his feet. "I shall get you all of the comfort foods known to man!"

"No, Lee," she says, grabbing his wrist and pulling him back down onto the bed. "Don't leave me," she pleads.

"We'll get it for you," Ino says while standing up, Sakura following suit. "I'm starving, anyways."

"Make sure to get loads of comfort foods," Lee calls out as they exit the room.

"Thanks," Chiaki whispers. Lee scoots her over so he can sit with his back against the headrest. Then he scoops Chiaki into his arms and cradles her in his lap. The blackette rests her head on his shoulder before falling asleep, Lee rocking her back and forth and singing a soft lullaby.

…

"Are you hungry?" Kiba asks while gripping my hand tightly in his. I nod. "Good, because I don't know if I would have respected your wishes if you had said you weren't hungry." He grins. "Because I can't wait any longer to eat,"

"Yeah," I give a breathy laugh. "Sorry about all of this,"

"Hinata," he says. "It's not your fault; none of this is. Just remember that, okay?" I nod. "And remember that I won't let anyone, especially that sick bastard, touch you."

"Promise?" I say, biting my lip.

I had expected him to answer me with a _promise,_ but instead he stops me in the middle of the pathway where dozens of people are roaming around, scoops me into his arms, and kisses me. I take in a sharp breath through my, my eyes widening. Kia's eyes are closed as he savors the kiss. Then he releases me. "I still haven't forgotten that tiny kiss you gave me last night," he whispers, grinning madly.

"That-that didn't even count," I stutter, sure my face is already red as a batch of fresh strawberries. Kiba rolls his eyes.

"It sure did. In fact, it even got me thinking…" he says. We're walking again, towards the mess hall. His eyes are focused straight ahead as he speaks. "I was thinking about, um, us…"

My lips begin to tremble and I'm trying so desperately to keep my teeth from chattering. My hands are sweating as if a fucking toad just wet itself in my palm, and I' getting that icy-hot feeling all over my body again. "About us?" I repeat.

"Yeah…" he scratches the back of his head. "We kissed so…does that mean we're together? Because I think it's wrong to kiss someone and then not go out with them, you know? I mean, we should…I'm not a perv or anything, and kissing you without actually being with you is wrong, and…"

He's rambling, nervous out of his mind. It makes me grin, knowing that I'm not the only one who's nervous. I even laugh a bit. Kiba turns to look at me, a sheen of sweat on his forehead. "What?" he says.

"You're rambling," I say, gaining my confidence. ""I…I want to go out with you. More than anything…Because…" I swallow. His eyes are on me now, not once leaving. "Because you understand me and, well, the way you made me feel last night was incredible. You're so comforting and warm, and-"

"Who's rambling now?" he interrupts, grinning.

"Whatever," I roll my eyes.

"So then...we're dating?" I nod. He doesn't say anything, but from the corner of my eye I see him ball his hand into a fist and bring it to his chest in a victory pose. I can just hear him whispering _yes _in my head, too. A smile graces my lips. He was a god, after all.

…

The rest of the day went pretty smoothly. For me, at least. Chiaki was a total wreck; she was sobbing for three hours straight, after Ino woke her up, demanding she eat. Lee was in our room for not only the rest of the afternoon but also during the night. The counselors were so busy patrolling the area, searching for any stray kids and, if they were lucky enough to find him, the killer, that they didn't pay any mind to our cabin. Kiba and Neji even spent the night with us.

The whole boys' cabin was spending the night in our room, all except Naruto and Sasuke, who we hadn't seen all day. I wasn't too worried, though, because they weren't young, pretty girls, even though Naruto sometimes acted like it. No one would hurt them. Hopefully.

"Listen up," Neji says while standing on the ladder connecting my and Tenten's beds. Everyone turns to him, even Chiaki, through teary eyes. "There's still a killer out on the loose. He could be in the woods beside this very cabin, watching through the window and deciding which one of you girls he'd want to get next." Chiaki bursts into another set of sobs, causing Neji to earn several glares.

"Anyways, we need a buddy system so no one will ever be alone. Ino is with Sakura," he says, nodding his head towards the two. "Tenten is with me, Kiba is with Hinata, and Lee is with Chiaki," everyone nods, murmuring in agreement. "No one can ever be alone. You should be with each other at all times. Is that clear?" Everyone nods. "Good," he steps down from the ladder and makes his way to the door. He locks it and then closes all of the curtains and blinds.

"This is getting serious," Ino states.

"It's been serious," I whisper.

"Ohana was…" Chiaki sniffs up some snot, and Lee reaches over to grab her another tissue. "She was such a good person."

"Yeah, and she'd just broken up with Gaara, too," I mumble.

"Wait," Tenten says. "What did you just say?"

"She'd just broken up with Gaara," I repeat, dumbfounded.

"Then could Gaara have…?"

Everyone stares at each other. "I'm going out to tell the police," Neji says.

"No," Kiba demands, causing him to stop. "The police will be interviewing everyone tomorrow, so let's just wait until then."

"Last time we waited someone was killed," I whisper, only loud enough for Kiba to hear. He grabs my hand, gives it a squeeze.

"I agree with Kiba," Tenten says. "I don't want you going out there alone."

"But we have a buddy list," Neji says, irritated. "There's a reason for it; so no one goes anywhere alone,"

"Pssh," Tenten snorts. "No way in hell I'm going out there. It's freezing, even in here, and it's dark!"

"You're cold?" Neji asks, completely ignoring her statement. She gives him a glare that lasts a millisecond before nodding, wrapping two arms around her torso. "Let me warm you," Neji says while climbing the ladder again.

"Neji," Tenten whispers, embarrassed. "Not here,"

"Don't worry," he assures. "What happened last night won't happen again tonight. If I can control myself, that is."

Tenten's blush turns into a fiery furnace, and she swats his arms. "We aren't even dating," she hisses, earning raised eyebrows from both Ino and Sakura; sly looks from Kiba and I.

"Then let's make it official," Neji says before turning to the rest of us. "Tenten and I are now dating,"

"Woo-hoo," Ino claps while rising to her feet. "Finally!"

"So are me and Hina," Kiba declares, rising to his feet, too. Everyone turns to us and I can feel my cheeks getting hotter by the second.

"Well, say it ain't so," Ino drawls, a smirk playing out on her lips.

"Now that deserves a round of applause," Sakura says while joining Ino in her clapping. Chiaki stifles a smile, partly because she felt bad about laughing when her friend was dead and also because she was a little pissed that her friends weren't; mourning Ohana's death and were, instead, having a hell of a time.

"Settle down," Neji says, peeved that Kiba had actually grown the balls to ask out his cousin. "We don't want the cops peeking in here,"

"Right," I say.

"Well, I'm beat," Ino says while climbing into bed.

"Yeah," Sakura agrees. She leans over and gives her girlfriend a kiss goodnight before climbing into her bed as well. Neji helps Tenten under the sheets and then climbs in with her; Lee and Chiaki settle into bed, Lee pushing aside the dirty tissues inhabiting the bed.

"Come on," I whisper while settling under the sheets.

"You know," Kiba says while wrapping his arms around me. "Your room is a lot colder than ours,"

"Then why don't we switch cabins." I suggest.

"Why don't you shut up," Neji suggests.

"Why don't you?" Kiba retorts, growling.

"Okay guys, I think your hormones are acting up from finally being able to have a sex partner, and you're going a little crazy," Ino says.

"I would never do that to Hinata!" Kiba exclaims. "I am not a perv," I hush him by placing the palm of my hand to his cheek. His eyes lock with mine; hazel nut to lavender, and slowly he rests his hand on top of mine, closing his eyes.

The room is quiet as we wait for Neji to deny what Ino says as well, but it never comes. "Neji," Sakura starts slowly. "You wouldn't do that to Tenten either, right?"

"Uh, right," Neji says, his voice muffled by something.

"What are you two doing up there?" Sakura inquires.

"Nothing," Tenten says.

"Neji," Ino shouts, jerking Kiba and I out of our moment. "If Tenten, my sweet, innocent, inhumane Tenten is not still a virgin then I will kick your ass, saw it off, and have it mounted to my bathroom wall so I can admire it while I take a shower!"

Kiba and I stare at each other for a moment and then we burst out into fits of giggles."I thought you weren't like that," Tenten exclaims. Ino shrugs.

"Asses are asses; either they're cute or they aren't and Neji, well," she grunts. "He's got a fine ass,"

It's silent again. And then we all burst out into laughter. All but Neji, who's too consumed in kissing the-still-laughing Tenten goodnight. "Wait," Kiba says aloud. "I thought Neji slept naked,"

"Dammit," Neji mutters.

"HE WHAT!" We all chorus.

"Dammit," Tenten repeats.

**A/N: **So how was that? Did you likey? I hope you did, because I'm YEARING for comments. You spoil me but once you've gotten a spoiled child you can't take away their Barbie paradise island! So please comment :D


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

**A/N: **Hi guys :) Sorry I haven't uploaded in a while… I've been working on the story cover for Let it Rock! I already uploaded the sketch version onto my Deviantart account, if you guys wanna check it out. PrincessT153; but I have to warn you, there's this one bastard who thinks he's macho and he's been saying some pretty nasty stuff about my artwork. Anyways, check it out, enjoy, and comment.

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

My eyes flutter open at a soft, tickling sensation across my lips; and they widen. Kiba's face was just inches from mine, his lips parted as a soft snore escaped them, causing our breaths to mingle in our sleep. But the odd thing was that he was upside down.

I lift myself up so I can fully see the rest of him. His body is hanging off of the bed, part of him slouching onto the floor, as if ready for a beating. The only parts of him that remain on the bed were his head and torso. I laugh out of my nose, wondering how he could have pulled that one off in his sleep.

My hand reaches out to stroke his cheek; sun kissed and butter-smooth. His canines poke out from his lips, something I'd like to say is a signature of his since they seem to appear a lot. The tattoos on his cheeks, to which I have no idea what they resemble exactly, clashes brilliantly against his skin tone. He was a piece of art. A doggish, sloppy piece of art. But I loved him all the more for it.

Wait, what? Love? I didn't love him… We'd just started going out. And he was so annoying at first; there's no way I could go from hate to love that fast…

I was startled out of my thoughts when his eyes suddenly open. I jerk back, inhaling deeply through my nose at the surprise. Kiba watches me for a second, oddly, as if he's trying to figure out a secret; _my_ secret. But then he grins and places his hand over mine, which is still resting on his cheek. My cheeks flush from embarrassment of being caught. "What were you thinking about?" Kiba inquires through a whisper.

I shrug, trying to act nonchalant, but fail miserably. "Just, you know…"

"Watching me sleep?" he suggests.

"Maybe,"

From up above there's a rocking, and Kiba and I give each other horrified, knowing looks. "Oh Kami," I whisper.

"Would they really do that in here? With all of us?" Kiba whispers back.

'Maybe they're…doing it in their sleep." I propose. Kiba gives me a dumbfounded expression in return. "Or not…"

"Hey, let's get ready before anyone else wakes up." Kiba says suddenly.

"Why?" I ask, unsure. The pit of my stomach burns as the wheels in my head begin to turn, creating fantasies beyond explanation of Kiba and me. He snorts.

"I don't want to share a shower with those morons," he jabs a thumb towards our company. "Lee probably wouldn't detest it."

"Sakura and Ino would probably use the excuse of "saving time" to shower together," I add playfully.

"So then let's beat the players," he says, getting ready to hop out of bed when he notices his position. "Uh, how did I get like this?"

"I have no idea," I say, laughing.

…

Ino felt like a bitch. There she was, standing at the foot of the stage steps watching her teammates grieve over Ohana's death. "She was so talented," Ichigo commented. "And so, so sweet,"

Ino inhaled deeply. Ohana had not only been in her acting class, but she had also been on her team. Ino hadn't even known the girl, let alone notice she was missing from the group of people surrounding her. Sara was one of them. She was in the center of the group, passing along tissues and acknowledgements. "She was a great person," the redhead started. "And whoever killed her is going to pay," her eyes flashed to Ino for a brief second, and then returned to her group. "May she rest in peace," and she threw up a bouquet of roses.

…

The day went by slowly. It seemed as if everyone was carrying thirty pound weights on them as they practically dragged themselves through lunch lines, practices, and drills. Kiba had dropped me off at my meeting room, following Neji's buddy list without fail.

"I'll see you later," he says while kissing the edge of my nose. "Wait for me right here,"

"I will," I promise with a laugh. Then I stand on my tiptoes so I can kiss his nose in return. Chiaki and Lee appear at that moment. The poor girl's nose is red and puffy; her eyes are bloodshot and her skin has a sickly tint to it. "Hi," I say, pulling away from Kiba's embrace.

"Hi," Chiaki says. Lee directs her towards the doors, giving Kiba and me a brief nod. The doors slam shut behind them, leaving the two of us in an uncomfortable silence.

"I'll see you in a few," he says before turning on his heel. I watch him enter his room before heaving open the double doors before me. Chiaki is seated beside Lee, and Natsuko is in her place. I take a seat beside the brunette, flash her a shy smile.

"So, where do we start?" Sasuke says, leaning on the back legs of his chair nonchalantly. Natsuko is glaring intently at Naomi, who pretends she doesn't see her as she thrums her fingers against the oak table.

"I don't know," Lee says, seeing as how no one else is willing to speak.

"I say we just place in the order for the colored tape and then start ordering some other things," I suggest with a sigh. Naomi rolls her eyes at me, to which I scowl. Someone needed to put her in her place. And they did.

"What the hell are you doing, Naomi?" Natsuko asks disgustedly.

The blond looks up at her, stunned. "I'm sorry?" she says innocently.

"What are you doing? Shouldn't you be off celebrating?" Naomi says.

"Celebrating wha-"

"Cut the crap," Natsuko cuts her off. "We all know you've hated Ohana since the minute you laid eyes on her. So shouldn't you be celebrating?" Naomi narrows her eyes, mouth open and ready to argue, but Natsuko won't have any of it. "I'm willing to bet you had something to do with her death, actually."

"What?" Naomi exclaims, pushing her chair back and rising to her feet. She slams her palms down on the table while leaning into Natsuko's face. "I wouldn't touch a hair on that disgusting body of hers if you paid me,"

"Oh really? Then maybe that's why you used a tool to do it?" Natsuko retorts while rising as well.

"What in Kami's name are you talking about, you little whore?" Naomi's face is beet red and she looks as if she's about to explode. Sasuke and Lee are watching, eyes round in awe. Chiaki is on the brink of tears again. It must have been too much for her.

"Okay," I say, standing with them. "Let's calm down. No one killed anyone,"

"Then why was she found dead?" Natsuko asks, turning to me. My breath catches at the look in her eyes; angry, scared.

"I mean, yeah, she was killed," Chiaki lets out a moan. "But no one in here did it,"

I was getting that icy-hot feeling all over my body again. In fact, I was getting that feeling a lot lately. Maybe it had something to do with this camp, I don't know. But the look Natsuko was giving me, added on to Naomi's glare and Chiaki's sobs was making me a hell of a lot nervous.

"How would you know?" she whispers, tears filling her eyes.

"Is that a confession?" Naomi says in mock astonishment. Natsuko's head reels back to the blond, along with her fist. Everyone jerks back when her fist meets Naomi's cheek, and the girl stumbles back. Her cheeks are blazing, her eyes are glossy with fresh tears, and her lips are pinched together.

"I would _never_ hurt anyone," Natsuko shouts. "Especially not a friend,"

It was quiet in the room, all except for Chiaki's sobs. But then Sasuke says, "But you just did hurt someone," and Natsuko loses it. She's thrashing about the room, kicking storage boxes, flipping over chairs, and screaming her head off like a two year old. And everyone watches in silence, too afraid to do anything about it; about _her_.

But when she flips over the table, large and ancient, everyone flees from the scene. Lee takes Chiaki in his arms as quickly as possible and retreats to the back of the room before the table can squash the both of them. Sasuke hops up, takes a step back, and watches in awe as the large oak table crashes to the floor. A large crack splits the center, and then it breaks in half.

Naomi screams as the wood comes just inches to her feet, her hands flying up to cover her eyes. I'm lucky enough to be on Natsuko's side and not have to dodge any splinters or breaking of bones. But then again, what's lucky about standing beside a psychopath?

Suddenly, the door swings open and there stands Anko. Her face flares scarlet when she sees the damage, tiny flames dancing in her eyes. She analyzes the situation and then, after deciding who was to blame, takes Natsuko by the elbow. "You little wench," she spits through gritted teeth. "Your father warned me about you. You're in deep trouble, missy,"

And then the door slams shut behind them and we're left in terrified silence.

…

After an hour of awkward conversation, we had ordered the tape for the suits and dresses and had even ordered a few accessories for people to choose from. I lean back in my chair, checking the time on the wall. "I guess it's time to go," I say while sliding the laptop back inside the cubby we had found it in. Everyone rose from their chairs (we had assembled a small circle with the seats and had had our meeting like that.)

"Well, um," I say awkwardly.

"May she rest in peace," Naomi says before exiting. Sasuke and I share a look.

"I'll see you at dinner," I say as Chiaki and Lee pass by me.

"I don't think I'll be attending," Chiaki mumbles. Lee stops, grabbing her by the elbows when she doesn't stop. He looks into her eyes.

"Why not, Chiaki? You need to eat. You are already so thin," he exclaims.

Chiaki shies away, her fist coming up to block her face. "I'm not hungry," she says behind her shield. I roll my eyes.

"You need to eat, girl," I say. She shakes her head. "Let me take her to have a little talk, okay Lee?" I say, turning to him. He looks unsure, but I give him a reassuring smile.

"Okay," he agrees.

"No," Chiaki says, looking up at him with wide eyes. She reaches for his arm. "Don't leave me,"

"Chiaki, you need a girl to be with right now," Lee says. "I'm not good with girl talk."

"I don't want girl talk," Chiaki exclaims, trembling. "I want you,"

"Chiaki," Lee caresses her chin with his thumb and forefinger, looking into her eyes with concern. "It'll only be twenty minutes," he turns to me for confirmation and I nod. "Only twenty; you can have me for the rest of the night."

She's still trembling when she reaches up to wrap her arms around his neck. "I…" she whispers the one syllable, not able to finish her sentence. Her rosebud lips brush against his ear. "I…"

"I know," Lee says, smiling warmly. "I know,"

And then he pulls away, giving her a painful look. I take her by the arm, smiling. "She's in good hands," I say, saluting him. He nods, blowing her a kiss, and then leaves the room.

"See you guys," Sasuke says while following after Lee.

"Bye," I say, mostly to myself and Chiaki. I turn to her, eyebrows merging in confusion. "Why are you so shaky?" I ask, wrapping my arms around her. Her body feels like an earthquake beneath me, or one of those massaging chairs, to be exact. I pull away. "Anything you'd like to talk about?"

She shakes her head. "Oh come on," I prod. "There must be something. Why are you so afraid?"

She looks up at me with big, coal black eyes. "What if we're next?" she whispers. I swallow. I'd asked myself that question before, too many times to count, but I knew the answer already. Natsuko was next on the list and until she was checked off of it, no one else was going anywhere.

I shake my head. "We have the buddy list, remember?" I say.

"Lee's gone," Chiaki whispers. A cold air wraps around us. I can feel someone watching.

"Um," I say, trying to keep my emotions in check. My eyes wander the room. There were no windows, which gave me a sense of relief. "Don't worry about it. You've got me. Tenten taught me some of her tae kwon do,"

"But he killed her, Hinata," Chiaki whispered. "He could do all sorts of things to us, and not even Jackie Chan could stop him." She shudders.

"Hey," I say sternly. "No one is killing anyone, okay? Not again; I won't have it,"

I'm getting the sense that we're being watched again, and this time it's accompanied by a chill. I swallow, eyes darting around us. "What can you do?" she asks doubtfully. Kami, I was getting so sick of keeping this secret.

"I can protect you," I say.

"No you-"

And then we hear it. Chiaki pauses in midsentence at the sound of something streaking against glass. We both turn our heads to the door. And, dammit, I had forgotten the doors had windows. There were fingerprints against the surface, and something else. Something black. "Wha-wha-wha-wha," Chiaki starts to stutter in complete horror at the thought of someone watching us.

"It's okay," I say. "Stay close to me,"

"Where are we going?" she inquires as I inch towards the doors.

"We're just going to see what that black stuff is," I answer. Her grip tightens on my arm as we near it.

"Were we being watched?" she whispers.

"I have no idea," I lie.

Of course we were being watched. I could feel it, plus the fact that there was someone pressing up against the glass. But they'd left evidence for us. Hah, dimwit.

"What is that?" Chiaki asks. I peer at the black soot-looking-substance that's smeared against the window's glossy surface.

"I think it's oil from a car," I say as I inspect it.

"That's not oil," Chiaki disagrees. "It looks like that stuff you find under those things that shelter the wheels,"

"What?" I ask, turning to her.

"You know how cars have those plastic humps over the wheels?" I nod. "Well, if you stick your finger underneath there something black that looks like this will show up on your skin."

"Oh," I say. "Who do we know that owns a car?"

"Someone who works here," Chiaki says quietly.

The counselor whose office Kiba and I had broken into. I jerk back, gripping Chiaki just as tightly, if not tighter, than she was gripping me. It had been the murderer who was watching us, no doubt about it. In the office the murderer and someone else were speaking about the murders; a counselor was most definitely our guy.

The doorknob begins to shake as someone on the other side wrestles to open the door. Chiaki lets out a scream, jerking back and taking me with her. We fall to the floor with a thud, watching with wide eyes as Kiba opens the door and looks down on us with alarm. "What the hell?" he says, kneeling down to help us up.

Chiaki clings to him like a life line, shivers running up and down her spine like a cat who's just taken a dip into the lake. I press my lips together as I peer over his shoulder at the doors. He gives me an odd look, rubbing Chiaki's back to calm her down. "What's going on?" he asks.

"We, um," I start to give him some weak excuse but Chiaki butts in.

"The murderer was watching us through the window," she exclaims. "He left black fingerprints on the window," Kiba pries the girl off of him, taking her hand instead, and then gives me a questioning look, eyebrow arched.

"Yeah," I say. "He was watching us through that window,"

Kiba takes my hand in his free one and pulls me to him. "Let's get to the mess hall," he says while taking both Chiaki and I under his wings. Her arms are wrapped around his torso so tightly I'm surprised he can breathe, let alone walk. But a flare of jealousy rips through me when I see her clinging to him like a fan girl.

Kiba sees the look I'm giving the two of them and smiles reassuringly. He squeezes my hand. "I was worried about you," he says as we enter the mess hall. "You weren't waiting outside for me,"

"If I had we would have been goners," I say. Kiba's face hardens. Suddenly Lee appears, looking more worried than ever.

"What happened?" he asks, prying Chiaki off of Kiba, which gives me a wave of satisfaction as I move in to take my space in his arms.

"We had a little run in with Mr. Killer," Kiba says.

Lee's eyes widen and he turns to me. I nod. "My Kami," he exclaims. "Are you alright, Chiaki," She nods, clinging to him tighter. "Come on, let's go eat." He turns to Kiba. "We'll speak more of this later," and then he and Chiaki are gone.

"You wanna do a Nejiten thing?" Kiba asks. I give hm a disturbed look.

"A _what_?" I ask.

"You know how Neji and Tenten always take food to go? Well, let's do that," he explains with a grin. "What, you didn't think I was talking about sex, did you?"

"No," I stutter, facing blazing. "And Tenten and Neji _do not_ have sex."

"Whatever you say,"

"Where did you come up with Nejiten, anyways?" I ask as we make our way into the line. He shrugs.

"I saw it somewhere,"

"Where?"

"Stop pestering me,"

…

His eyes lingered over her face for quite some time. He was growing attached to the little doll-of-a-thing. She was so petite and beautiful, with her pale skin, bright eyes, and glossy hair. But he was limited to one a year. What would he do?

She had a boyfriend, too.

But if he could get them to break up then he would be set. Of course, his partner would be angered with him, but who cared? He could take care of them, too.

**A/N: **Well, that's all for tonight since it's dark, I'm the only one awake, and I just finished watching Pretty Little Liars. Would you like to be up alone with all of this scary stuff haunting your mind? No. Comment, please, and check out my drawing :D


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

**A/N: **Hi guys :) I'm am SO busy with Deviantart…I guess I got caught up in it all. Sorry for ignoring you guys! Please forgive me! Also, I'm so sorry that the picture for this story is so ugly :( I tried really hard but it still came out terrible. I fixed it, though, and will upload it sometime soon. Yeah… :D Comment, enjoy, you know the drill.

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

The brunette cowered in fear. Her whole body was shaking so badly that even the roar of her father's voice could not put a stop to it. His harsh words were like fire, licking at her insides with a chilly, yet burning sensation. Her chest tightened dramatically. In the background stood Anko, watching with a smug grin on her face. Natsuko had never liked the woman.

"How dare you embarrass me like that!" her father roared. "Don't you have any respect? Any manners?"

Natsuko shook her head, earning a snort from the man. "But father-"

"Enough," he shouted, his face turning red with exertion. "Don't interrupt me,"

Natsuko scooted as far away from her father as she could, her knees meeting her chest in an awkward ball. When her back brushed up against the wall, she knew she had nowhere else to run. Nowhere else to hide. Her father's face was flushed from yelling and his eyes were bloodshot. He wondered where she got this from…

"Now we have to pay for that damned table!" he continued. "Haven't you done enough to this family?"

She couldn't take it anymore. He was the one who had destroyed their family; he had soiled the love their mother had given them, had given _him_; and he had ruined the lives of many girls and many families. Natsuko couldn't just sit there like a coward and let another girl die. She had already lost a friend to her father. She couldn't lose another one.

"You will pay for what you've done," he said through gritted teeth. His hands gripped the back of the chair he was using for support so tightly that his knuckles began to turn stark white. Anko stepped forward then, arms crossed, a smile adorning her face.

"I say we make her pay with labor," she suggested.

"What kind of labor?" her father inquired, giving her a sideways glance as he pondered the proposal. Anko shrugged.

"I don't know…we could have her work in my office. File papers or maybe we could have her wash the buses." She said thoughtfully.

"I don't know," her father said, unsure. His gaze turned back to Natsuko. "She needs far more punishment than that."

"Father," Natsuko interrupted. His eyes met hers and all of the courage she had gained in the last few moments disappeared. He released the chair back and stepped forward, hands reaching for his belt. That was when the adrenaline kicked in. She knew she was going to get whipped. That's when her courage came tumbling back and out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"I'm only like this because of you!" she shouted. She silently wondered as her voice echoed off of the walls, if anyone could hear the two shouting inside of the gym. And then her heart shrank to the size of a peanut as a look of fury flashed in his eyes.

"What did you just say?" he asked, looming closer towards the girl. She swallowed.

"I said, I'm only like this because of you!"

"How so?"

She was taken aback by her father's question. She had expected a whipping, shouting and screaming, or maybe even a shoe to her face but this was totally unexpected. He looked a bit more composed than he had before, and she realized that he might have been coming back to his senses. To his usual self again. The gentler side of him.

"Because, father, you're bipolar. I think, maybe, I got it from you. That is runs in the family." Her eyes fell to the floor. "And that you should see a psychiatrist,"

She was wrong about his gentler side emerging because even if it had peeped out for even the slightest of moments, it was gone now. And he was angrier than ever. He lifted his foot up, causing it to crash into the chair which was now headed straight towards Natsuko. She ducked, shielding herself with her arms, as the wooden seat crashed against the wall over her head. Remains of the chair fell upon her, burying her.

As she tried to peer past the wood blocking her vision, her father stepped closer, fists clenched. "I am _not _bipolar," he hissed. Natsuko winced, turning away. "I may seem that way to you because of the never-ending trouble you cause for me. I may seem like I'm mad all of the time, but when reality hits, darling, I'm only ever mad when I'm around you."

He paced the room, watching her like a lion stalking its prey. She closed her eyes to keep the image of him hunting her from reaching her mind. "When I'm with those other girls it's like I'm a newer, happier me." He frowned. "But when you're around I get angry and frustrated. You cause me nothing but trouble, cost me nothing but money! Those other girls, though," his facial expression softened. "They see the real me, and they like it. They accept me and they make me feel good inside." He clutched at his chest. "As if I'm not even Ketsu anymore."

Natsuko shuddered. Just then, her father launched himself towards her, grabbing her ankle and pulling her out fro beneath the pile of wood. He was stronger than she had imagined. She couldn't remember the last time she witnessed her father work out.

She was angling upside down in his grasp. Her eyes closed tightly as her head began to swim. An uneasy queasiness engulfed her, and she struggled to keep down her lunch. Her father decided to throw her right then. She flew through the air, landing on her side and wincing when a loud crack filled the quiet room. Nothing could be heard but Natsuko's labored breathing. Tears streamed down her face as she opened her eyes.

Her father was standing over her, looking at her with such disgust it made her want to change, just for him. But she knew she couldn't. For two reasons.

One because he didn't deserve it.

And two because she wouldn't get the chance.

…

My lungs felt like they were burning. I open my eyes, sitting up in bed. My sheets were damp with sweat, as well as my forehead which now had hair matted to it. I brush away the wet stands and let out a breath. I still couldn't breathe. It felt as if someone had poured soda that had been set on fire down my throat. And I couldn't shake the feeling that it had something to do with my dream.

I had been her again. I had been Natsuko. And I had witnessed with her eyes what had happened to her. My ribs still ached from when her father threw her-me-onto the ground. And then he had set the burning on fire.

But the only thing I couldn't put my finger on was whether it was the past, or the future. Could I still save Natsuko's life? Or was it already over and done with? Had I let another girl-another friend's-life slip through my fingers?

I'm startled out of my thoughts when my cell phone begins to buzz beside me. I glance at the collar ID, inwardly groaning when I see that it's my father. I reach for it tentatively, hoping that he's just calling for a checkup and that he hasn't heard the news yet. But there's no way that he couldn't have heard it, and I was definitely going to get a good scolding for not telling him about it.

I brace myself and flip it open. "Hello?" I say with fake grogginess.

"Hinata? Are you alright?" I hear my father asking. I let out a breath.

"Yeah, just a nightmare," I say. My hands are shaking with nervousness, just like Natsuko's had in my dream. I swallow. "So what's up?"

"Well I'm sure you've heard about Ohana's death, considering she was at the camp you're attending." He said knowingly.

"Oh yeah," I say. "Yeah, I heard. Everyone's really sad about it; but don't worry, I'm fine."

"Hinata," he warns. I go with the innocent act, figuring that if I pretend that I hadn't seen her or her aura then I would be off the hook. For now.

"What?" I ask while pulling off my covers. They're stuck to me so I have to pry them off instead.

"You know what," he says, and lets out a sigh. "Did you…have a dream? Or see her aura?" I let out a breath.

"Nope,"

"Hinata, don't give me that crap." I wince. He'd seen through my act.

"What?" I say guiltlessly. I knew it was wrong, even when he had caught me, which left me with no real reason to keep up the jig; but I couldn't bear being in trouble. And then I felt guilty. I was afraid of being blamed. Natsuko was afraid of being killed.

"Dammit, Hinata, don't tell me you didn't sense her aura. Just don't give me that shit, okay? Now fess up,"

"Okay," I sigh while peering out the window. It wasn't even dawn yet. What was my father doing calling so late at night? Or so early in the morning…? "I did see her aura," I admit. "But it's not like I could have prevented her death or anything,"

"What? Hinata, no one's blaming you for her death. I'm just saying, if you knew she had died and you saw her aura, then why didn't you call me? I told you to call me if you saw an aura or had a dream. Did you have a dream?"

"No," I say. "Not about Ohana,"

"You had one about another girl?" he asks, shock clear in his voice. I nod even though he can't see it.

"Yeah, Natsuko," I say, and swallow. "I've already had a dream about her. Her father pushed her down the stairs." I run a hand through my hair as I glance at Kiba who's sleeping peacefully in my bed. "But last night I had a dream her father killed her. Then he set the building on fire."

"Is this girl, Natsuko, at the camp too?" he asks.

"Yes,"

"Did you recognize the building that they were in?" I shake my head.

"No,"

"Okay," he sighs. "Did you recognize her father?"

I think long and hard about this question. He had looked familiar, but probably only because I'd already seen him in a dream before. "No," I say finally. "I didn't,"

"Okay," he says, irritated.

"But wait," I say. "There was another person there. And I did know her,"

"Who?" my father prods eagerly. I can practically see him reaching for his pen.

"Anko, our camp councilor,"

…

I decided that once I hung up with my father I would walk around the camp and try to find the building they had been in. He was getting his squad together to join the flock of police officers already stationed here, with a warrant for Anko's office. I had also mentioned to him about the online article Kiba and I had stumbled upon. I don't think my father had actually believed my excuse about us looking up murder mysteries to read during campfire time, and then accidentally finding that one in particular. But it didn't matter, either.

Something fishy was going on here, and Anko and Natsuko's father were involved.

Light was just peeking through the tops of the forest trees when I came upon someone trekking the path ahead of me. And they were heading my way. I dove for the nearest bush, positioning myself behind the shrubbery so that they couldn't see me.

Finally, after at least five minutes of crouching, their torso came into view. It was a man, and I'd bet all of my college funds that it was Natsuko's father, coming back from cleaning up his dirty work. I couldn't decide whether to jump out and interrogate him or wait for him to pass, and then follow where he'd come from to try and find the murder building.

I decided on the latter, my fear getting the best of me. But as he passed, his foot faltered and he paused. He had noticed something, someone's presence. When you're anxious or paranoid because you've done something wrong, you're more alert to these kinds of things. And he was definitely more alert.

I hold my breath, waiting for him to just pass already, but he doesn't. Instead I see him twisting around in a full circle. I bite the inside of my lip, fretting to my grave. Who knew what he would do if he caught me…

And then he speaks. It actually surprises me, how rich his voice is, like chocolate. He hadn't sounded like that in the dream. It makes me second guess whether this was the guy I was looking for. "Is someone there?" he inquires. I can imagine him scanning the area for any sign of activity, his eyes narrowed to slits. "Come on out. I won't hurt you,"

But I can hear the edge in his voice and the richness is completely gone. And I recognize the voice right away, from my dream. I keep silent, deciding that the mere thought of stepping out and interrogating him was a moronic one. I mean, _what was I thinking_?

But then his breath catches and he curses under his breath, jogging back in the direction he'd come from. I peer over the bush and watch as he jogs frantically towards the mushroom-shaped cloud hovering in the sky. My eyes widen. The burning building.

So Natsuko was dead.

And I hadn't been able to save her.

I curse too, and then rise to my feet. I had to get back to the cabin before someone saw me out here. If they thought suspiciously of me, I could be pinned for the fire.

…

Kiba was at the door when I got there. My phone was in his hand. "Oh rap," I whisper. He looked angry. I walk up to him, panting.

"Where have you been?" he asks suspiciously.

"A girl can't go for a morning run?" I retort.

"Come on," he says, eyebrow arching. "And why do I smell smoke?"

I swallow. "Okay," I say, succumbing to him. "I had a dream about Natsuko. Her father killed her." Kiba's mouth hung open in shock. "I know," I say. "And her father set the building on fire. She's…dead."

"So there's a building on fire out there?" he asks, ignoring my statement about her death.

"Yeah,"

"And you were near it?" he grabs my elbow and pulls me closer to him.

"No," I say as he ushers me into the cabin. "But wait," my hands are at his chest to stop him from going any further. I look up into his eyes. "I know whose office we were in,"

"Whose?" Kiba whispers.

"It was Anko's," I say. "And she was there when he killed Natsuko,"

"Wait, Natsuko had all of those-"

"Yeah, I know," I say, stopping him from finishing his sentence.

"But she's a girl,"

"I know; it makes me sick just thinking about it,"

He's quiet for a moment, and then he whispers, "So where were you, then?"

"I was going to find the building, actually," I admit. My cheeks flush at the scolding look he gives me. "But I saw him while I was on my way there. I hid in a bush, and then he spotted me, but as he was calling for me to come out he started cursing and ran back towards the building."

"Did he see you?" he asks, eyes huge.

"No," I shake my head. "I don't think so. I mean, he knew someone was there, but I don't think he actually saw me, you know?" he nods.

"So let me get this straight," he says, holding up his hands. "Anko and Natsuko's father killed Ohana and then they killed Natsuko,"

"Well, I don't know about Ohana," I say. "But something is definitely going on here," And then I remember the phone in his hand and I arch an eyebrow at him. "And why are you holding my phone?"

Kiba blushes at being caught in the act. "Your father called. He said he just got a report about a fire at the camp." His cheeks burn brighter with every word. "And then he asked me why I was in your cabin and started yelling at me."

I roll my eyes. Good ol' dad.

"Whatever," I say and grab my phone. "Thanks for keeping it warm for me,"

"Do you guys smell smoke?" Tenten asks blearily while sitting up in bed. We turn to see her and Neji watching us with mild interest.

"Yeah," Kiba says. "Natsuko's dead,"

**A/N: **How was that? Oh my gosh, I'm so happy I finally finished chapter seventeen! It was eating me up inside that I haven't been posting so… HAH! RELIEF! OK, well, yay for Korra because I love her and her show and yay for me :D Comment!


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

**A/N: **WOW :O Can you guys believe we're at chapter eighteen already? I'm sad that I don't have many people reading this story, especially since I think it's a great plot (some people just don't have good taste anymore,) but I'll have to push forward and leave that thought behind me. Anyways, on a good note, Hinata finally knows who's killing the girls! Or does she…?

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does _

"What? How do you know she's dead?" Tenten asks.

"Who's Natsuko?" Neji inquires, mostly to himself.

"Natsuko is a girl in both of my groups, and I know because I dreamt it." I explain.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Kiba and I share a look, and then I glance out the window. Something navy blue caught my eye. "Who is it?" Tenten asks while craning her neck to see out the window.

"How should we know?" Kiba retorts. "We're not psychic," he turns to me sheepishly. "Well, expect Hinata,"

"I'm not psychic," I say with the roll of my eyes. Then I move to the door, opening it tentatively and poking my head out. Outside stood two police officers; one with a shiny bald head and sunglasses and another with a yellow goatee and navy blue shorts. I glance at their badges that shine brilliantly in the sunlight before opening the door wider. "What can we do for you, officers?" I ask sweetly. The bald one adjusts his sunglasses to get a better look at me.

"We're hoping you five an answer some questions for us." The bald one answers.

"Oh," I say. Kiba appears beside me in an instant, an arm draped over my shoulders.

"What's wrong, officers?" he asks coolly.

My face burns brightly at the look that passes between them. "What are you doing in here, sonny?" the one with the goatee asks. "No boys allowed."

"If you haven't noticed yet, everyone's sort of scattered around," Kiba retorts. His grip around me tightens protectively. "I'm just making sure my girlfriend isn't next on that sorry bastard's hit list,"

"Kiba," I scold through clenched teeth.

"Watch your language," the bald one says. "And there's no one after her, kid. We've got him in questioning now,"

"You what?" I ask, eyebrows raising.

"That's right," he says. His lips part in a proud smile, showing a set of crooked, yellow teeth. "We've caught him and he's in one of the offices for questioning. No one's going to lay a finger on your little pussy cat,"

"My-my _what_?" Kiba stutters.

I glance at him through the corner of my eye, surprised and somewhat delighted to see that his cheeks are redder than mine. I inwardly grin. "Do you smell that?" I hear Tenten say from behind us. Everyone turns to see her head tilted up, her nose flexing like a cats as she sniffs the air.

"Yeah, I smell it too," Neji says, now alert. "It smells like smoke,"

"Ah, yes," the bald officer says. I turn my attention back to him. "There was a fire. That's sort of what we're here about,"

Kiba and I share a nervous look. And I can tell what he's thinking.

Don't tell them.

"What, you think one of the campers started it?" Tenten inquires.

"What's going on?" Sakura asks while lifting her head from her pillow. Her eyes are half shut and she has a trail of dry saliva running down her chin. I grimace.

"We're here to question you…" the officer with the goatee looks around the room. "Eight…"

"Why?" she asks while sitting up in bed.

"What's that smell?" Ino inquires as she sits up in bed. Her bangs are frizzy and shooting up in every which direction.

"Smoke," The bald officer answers. "And we need to see if any of you kiddies started the fire down there," he jabs his thumb over his shoulder.

"There's a fire," Ino reiterates, eyes wide.

"Is anyone hurt?" Lee asks.

"No," the bald man says.

No?

"Now please, if you would all come with me,"

…

I had been sitting in the makeshift interrogation room for at least twenty minutes when a young police officer lifted the flap of the tent and entered the room. He takes the seat across from me, straddling the plastic chair that they had borrowed from the mess hall. He was very young, twenty maybe, and he had sparkling sapphire eyes and auburn hair. Freckles spotted his nose, giving him an even younger look. He must have been an American transfer officer.

He looks up at the corner of the tent behind me and says, "Interrogating Hinata Hyuga," then he looks down at his wrist watch. "Five in the morning,"

I glance behind my shoulder to see a tiny camera set up in the corner of the tent. I was being videotaped. I turn back to him nervously. My stomach tightens at the warm smile he gives me. My hands are sweating as if I were holding a melting popsicle. I run my hands over my legs.

"So Hinata," he says. His voice flows like water; smooth and cool. "Where were you at four thirty this morning?"

"Why?" I ask, genuinely confused.

"The fire started at four thirty," he explains with a sympathetic smile. "So where were you?"

"The police arrived at our cabin at four thirty, though," I say.

"Yes," he nods. "Which is about the same time the fire started,"

This was all wrong. I was up at three thirty; that's when the sun began to come up. So I was out there for at least thirty minutes. If I got back to the cabin at four twenty and the police came at four thirty then…

The fire couldn't have started at four thirty. It had started somewhere around four… Right?

"Well, I got back to the cabin at four twenty," I say. He nods.

"So then you couldn't have started it," he declares.

"Right," I mumble, brows furrowed.

"Then would you explain why you and your friends were awake when the officers arrived at your cabin?" I swallow.

"My boyfriend, Kiba, was worried about me. He must have woken up and noticed I wasn't there." I shrug. "He was there waiting for me when I got back. He asked me where I was, which is what woke the other two,"

"And the other four in the cabin didn't wake up?" he inquires. I nod. "Alright, very well. I'll send someone to escort you back to your cabin,"

I rise to my feet, too, making my way to the "door" of the tent. "Thank you," I say, but it comes out as only a whisper. He gives a strange look, one eyebrow arched.

"Miss Hyuga, are you alright?" he inquires.

My whole body has gone rigid with fear. It was there. The aura.

Natsuko's aura.

And it was a glaringly bright red.

"Miss Hyuga," he repeats, standing closer now. His hands grip my forearms tightly, trying to shake me out of my trance.

But it's useless.

A red hue clings to everything around me; even the officer. The temperature has risen thirty degrees and I'm aware that I'm sweating through my shorts. His eyes fall to my legs. "Are you okay?" when I don't respond he reaches for his talkie. "We have a code seventy," he says into the speaker.

When he looks back to me my breath catches in my throat. There are red ringlets around his pupils and his freckles are even glowing. I wrench away from him, stumbling into one of the plastic chairs. His eyes widen and he fumbles to help me up, but I push him away, whipping my head from left to right. He withdraws, eying me with frightened, blue orbs.

This aura was much stronger than any other I'd ever witnessed. It didn't just inhabit the building she'd died in but it was spreading like a wildfire throughout the camp. Everyone and thing was glowing red. I glance down at my own hands, horrified that they're also glowing.

Suddenly three officers appear at the "doorway" with stricken looks. "What's wrong with her?" one asks. Their words were beginning to muffle. My eyes felt too heavy to hold up anymore.

"I don't know," the ginger says. "We had just finished interrogation and…"

Their words were tuned out as my eyes finally fluttered shut.

And I fell into a restless sleep.

…

When I finally come to I find myself back in my cabin, tucked beneath my blankets. And it's still about a million degrees, or so I think. I've already sweat through my pajamas and the sheets of the bed.

My head is still a bit nebulous my hearing is just fine, and I can hear my father's voice. But when I open my eyes everything is still radiating a vivid red. My eyes lock with Kiba's, and that beautiful, dull red that always rimmed his golden eyes was now just an annoying color. It had been replaced by Natsuko's aura.

I close my eyes again, and I can feel Kiba squeeze my hand. "How are you feeling?" he whispers. I grunt. "I'll take that as a 'terrible'," he says with a small chuckle. I open my eyes again, slowly this time, and look him in the eyes.

"I…the aura," I whisper. His eyebrows furrow at my lack of words. "The aura…it's too strong," I try again.

"The aura," he repeats. "Is that why you…had an episode?"

I roll my eyes, and then wince. "Yeah," I whisper.

"Hinata," my father is beside Kiba now and he's holding my other hand in both of his. "How are you feeling?" I give him a reassuring smile, but it must not reassure him because he frowns. "We've got this guy in custody," he says. "And we're also questioning Anko,"

"What-what's his name?" I ask.

"Gaara,"

…

The room was filled with a deadly silence, one that Gaara knew all too well. He sat with his arms folded behind his head; his legs crossed at his ankles. He watched as the red headed officer paced back and forth through the grass. He was sweating like crazy, his eyes roaming around the room. "Are you going to interrogate me or what?" Gaara asked, piqued.

The officer turned to him, wiped the sweat off his forehead with the sleeve of his arm. And then he let out a small breath. "Sorry," he said as he took a seat across from the teenager. "It's just that one of the girls we interviewed had some sort of panic attack, or-"

He stopped, eyeing the boy suspiciously. Then he shook his head in frustration. "Why am I telling you this?"

"I don't know," Gaara said in his usual monotone. "But I'd appreciate it if you'd just hurry this thing up. I have somewhere to be."

"Really? Where?" the officer questioned.

Gaara leaned forward, whispering his next words. "My bed," then he fell back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

The officer's cheeks heated in embarrassment. "Right," he said, clearing his throat. "Back to business,"

"Back? When did we start?"

The officer ignored him. "Where were you at four thirty this morning?"

"In bed," Gaara spat. "Like any normal person,"

"Well then someone isn't very normal, because _someone_ started that fire," the officer retorted while leaning back in his chair. He'd finally managed to find his cool.

"Whatever. Just know this: I didn't do it," Gaara said.

"Then perhaps you can answer another question," the freckle-faced man continued. "Have you ever been into the woods outback?"

"No,"

"Have you been…to the river?"

"No,"

"Is it true that you and Ohana were an item before she recently passed?"

"Yes," Gaara stated flatly.

"And what do you think happened to her?" the officer inquired while glancing briefly up at the camera in the corner of the tent.

"I don't know," Gaara shrugged. "She was murdered, right?"

"That's what we think,"

"Then she was murdered; that's what I think happened to her," Gaara answered.

"You seem unusually comfortable with this topic," the officer stated suspiciously. "Did you grieve Ohana's death?"

"I honestly don't think that's any of your business," Gaara answered, replacing his impassive expression with a frown.

"Oh really?" the officer leaned forward. "Why did the two of you break up in the first place?"

"Because I had another girlfriend back home. I figured it was time to set things straight. Matsuri and I are going steady and I was tired of keeping secrets from her." Gaara shrugged.

"So you were cheating?"

"No shit," Gaara muttered.

"Alright…did you have any other girlfriends at the time?"

"Like who?"

"Like…a brunette with an attitude?" the officer asked.

"No," Gaara said.

"Alright, I think my time here is up. I'll send in another officer for more questioning. Good day,"

The officer rose to his feet before exiting the tent. "Well, how did it go?" another officer asked, appearing beside him. He grinned.

"He's definitely our guy,"

**A/N: **I know… REALLY short chapter…and it was terrible, too. But I had writer's block and… I'M SO SORRY! Please review… sorry :( Arg, I promise it will be better next time! I swear on my nindo! XD


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

**A/N: **Hi guys :) Sorry about the last chapter being so short and terrible. But a certain review got me back on my feet and I'm going to make it up to you guys by making this the most interesting, frightful, romantic, and suspenseful chapter of all! I hope I've got you all duped over who the killer really is! Hehe, I hate it when you guys know before I've finished the story :( So I've been trying to confuse you. Sorry about that…

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

I jolt up, nearly knocking heads with Kiba as I stare down my dad. My skin felt as if someone had pricked me with a hundred different allergy needles and I was reacting to every single one of them. I try to swallow but my throat still burns.

"Dad," I say. The other two officers in the cabin glance oddly at me, so I bring my voice down to a whisper. "He's not our guy,"

"What do you mean?" my father asks as his frown deepens.

"I mean, Gaara is a teenage boy. The man who killed Ohana and Natsuko was Natsuko's father," I explain.

My father is silent as he stares down at his rough, scarred hands. And then he says quietly, "And you're sure Natsuko is dead?"

My eyebrows lift to my hairline. "Yes, I'm sure, dad," I say. "I saw it. I_ felt_ it. It definitely happened. Why? Are you not sure?"

He turns his attention towards the two officers by the door, who are now pretending that they aren't eavesdropping on our conversation. Kiba's expression is a mixture of concern, fear, and anger. I could understand the first two, but the latter didn't make sense. Why would Kiba look so angry? Or maybe he just seemed angry with the red rings circling his pupils.

"Would you two step out for a bit?" My father asks. "My daughter and I need a minute alone,"

The officers glance at Kiba with scrutiny, but leave nonetheless. My father finally breathes. "They haven't found her body yet," he admits. "They're filing it as a missing person's case,"

"What?" I nearly shout the word. How could this have happened? I saw everything and I knew exactly where she was. Why hadn't they found the body yet? "But I know where her body is,"

"And so do I," my father says as he rakes a hand through his waist-long hair. I realize just then that maybe Neji had styled his hair the same as my father's. It almost makes me smile.

"Then why don't you tell them where to look?" I question melodramatically as I throw my arms up over my head.

"It's not that simple. Her body has probably been burned to ashes. There's no way they will ever find it," he sighs. "And besides, if I told them where to look then they'd find me suspicious. They already have their eye on you."

"What did I do?" I say, feeling a bit hurt and betrayed.

"For starters you created that dramatic scene out there," Kiba says. I shoot him a glare.

"How is that my fault?" I ask. "It's not like I want to see her stinkin' aura,"

"Hinata," my father interrupts. I turn to him, arms wrapping around my torso as I try to shrink myself into a ball.

"I'd like to be normal too," I whisper.

Kiba's arms find their way around my shoulders as he pulls me into his chest. I can tell my father is watching me with a stricken expression. He never wanted me to suffer with this "gift." He'd taken me to eight different doctors to try and find out what it was, exactly, and where I had gotten it from.

But when the doctors diagnosed me as just plain ol' crazy, my father gave up on them. He believed me and that was all there was to it.

I let the tears slip from my closed eyes, unable to hold them in any longer. "I want to be normal too," I say, louder. "I want to sit around and hope their bodies come up. I don't want to be "in on it" and I don't want to see them die." I sniff up my tears and pull away from Kiba.

"Hinata," Kiba says, his voice barely above a whisper.

But when my eyes lift to meet his, I gasp. The red rings around his eyes have vanished, and the glow that had once emanated from him is dissipating. I turn to my father, both disappointed and intrigued when I find the glow is still clinging to him.

So then why was Kiba aura-free?

Was I aura-free?

I glance down at my hands to find that the red sheen is absent. Was the aura starting to wear off? Or was it just me and Kiba? I glance around the room, baffled to see the red aura still present. "Kiba," I say slowly.

"Yeah?"

"You and I don't have auaras,"

My eyes lock with his, but this time I jerk back, my breath catching in my throat. Kiba's brows furrow at my sudden reaction, and he reaches out a hand to me but I swat it away. Because behind his pupils I can see a face. Two faces, actually.

I peer closer, my eyes widening as I watch Natsuko in Kiba's left eye and Ohana in his right, banging against the glassy black surface, screaming to me to let them out. My fingers dance uncontrollably under the bed sheets, my nerves completely wacked up.

"Ohana," I whisper. "Natsuko?"

"What?" Kiba inquires, leaning closer.

"Tap the glass," Ohana says. "Tap the glass,"

Suddenly, my mind goes blank and all I can hear is Ohana's voice. And then my hands start to move on their own accord and before I can stop myself, I've stabbed Kiba in both eyes. I hear his scream before I collapse onto the bed, unconscious.

…

Chiaki sat in the plastic chair, her hands tucked in-between her legs. She could hear Lee from outside of the tent, begging with the officer to let him in. "You can't do this," he said. "She's emotionally unstable right now. At last let me hold her hand!"

But then she heard the officer bark back at him to wait outside or else he'd lock him in handcuffs and make him wait in the back of his police car. Chiaki's eyes lifted to the man's face as he stepped inside the tent. He brushed away some invisible dirt, huffed, and took a seat.

"Interrogating Chiaki Nanami, six thirty am," he glanced at the camera in the corner of the tent before turning to the girl. She did seem emotionally unstable; her hair was a mess, her eyes were blood-shot with purple bags beneath them, and her face looked…dead. It was as if she couldn't show any emotion at all.

_Why do I always get the tough ones? _He thought to himself while placing a hand on her knee.

"How do you feel, Chiaki?" he asked politely. When she didn't answer, he removed his hand from her knee and crossed his legs. "Let's get started, shall we? I'm just going to ask you a few questions and then we'll be done."

When she didn't respond, didn't blink, he let out an annoyed breath. "Where were you at four thirty this morning?" he questioned.

No reply.

"Miss Nanami," he prompted.

No reply.

"Boy," he shouted. Lee's head popped in from beneath the tent flap, a smug look on his face. "Get in here and make her answer me,"

Lee moved swiftly towards his girlfriend's side, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Chiaki," he said quietly. "Can you answer the nice man's questions?"

The officer watched in scrutiny as Chiaki's hand lifted from its place between her legs and cupped Lee's cheek from behind her. Her eyes lifted to meet the man's. "I…" her voice sounded flat and gravely. The man reached into his satchel and pulled out a water bottle, handing it to the girl. She took a small sip, and then sat back in her seat.

"Well?" the man asked.

"I don't know," Chiaki answered.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" he pressed angrily.

Lee shot him a warning look as he placed his free hand on top of her head. "She's been asleep for a really long time," Lee said. "I don't think she remembers anything from the time she closed her eyes."

"How long has she been sleeping?"

"Since yesterday," Lee answered. "Ohana was a good friend of hers and…" he looked back to the officer, voice lowering. "She doesn't even know about Natsuko,"

His eyebrows lifted. "Oh really?"

"Yes," Lee nodded. "So can we please leave?"

The officer twisted his lips to the side as he pondered the question. Chiaki's hand fell back to her lap, her eyes falling to the floor. "Take her back," the officer said begrudgingly, ushering them out of the tent. Lee scooped Chiaki into his arms before jogging out of the tent and back to the cabin.

…

"Sasuke Uchiha, where were you at four thirty this morning?" the officer asked as he studied the boy's stoic gaze.

"I was asleep," he stated.

"Oh really?" the officer said. "Then why did your boyfriend, Naruto, tell me that you two were at the camp pool?"

Sasuke frowned.

_Damn that dobe…_

…

_Dream Sequence _

It was the weirdest, yet most amazing thing I'd ever seen. I was sitting on the glassy surface of red tinted water, and before me were flames that licked at the water's edge. Ohana stood before me, waist deep in the water. Natsuko was seated on one of the tails of fire, as if it were a tree branch.

I frown. "Why did you make me do that?" I shout. "I might have blinded him!"

"Well we needed to talk," Natsuko retorts, arms crossed.

"But you had to make me-"

"Hinata," Ohana interrupts. I turn to her, a pout slowly replacing my frown. "We need your help. We know about your gift."

"It's hardly a gift," I mumble.

"What did you just say, brat?" Natsuko roars. I jump, startled by her sudden outburst. "You are so lucky to have that gift. You can not only put this sorry sicko behind bars but you can also keep others safe." Her hands are balled into fists, trembling uncontrollably. "I wanted to save you," she says, turning to Ohana's shocked face. "I meant to save you. That's why I was killed,"

"How…?" Ohana trails off, not sure of what to say exactly. But I did.

"Natsuko's father…is the killer," I say quietly.

At first I didn't think they heard me, but then Natsuko let out an earsplitting shriek. Ohana and I both turn to her, wide eyed and fearful. "He…he killed my dog," she cries. "And then he pretended like he loved her. And he drove away my mother, and he'll probably kill Kohaku, and…and…" she let her head hang limply.

"Your father… Just what is he?" I ask.

A snake-like rope of fire began to wrap itself around my ankle, twisting and turning up my leg and creating fiery-red designs on my skin. I tried to shake it off, resulting in a hissing sound from the flames.

"My father…has a partner," Natsuko says.

"Anko," I clarify.

But Natsuko shakes her head, eyes set on the glassy like surface beneath her. "It's a man," she says. "I don't know him, but I hear him talking about the man all of the time."

"What's his name?" I ask.

"His name…is Ketsu,"

"I know that name," I say. Natsuko's head whips up and her eyes lock with min.

"How do you know him?" she asks.

"I…Kiba and I overheard someone in Anko's office. They had a fight and then…the guy's name was Kai…"

"That's my father's name!"

"So your father was in Anko's office?" Ohana says. "Why?"

"More importantly, why did he hit her?" I ask. And then, "Plus when she called out his name, he told her that his name wasn't Kai, but it was Ketsu,"

"So, you mean…" Natsuko shook her head. "What does that mean?"

"I think…what if your father has a twin?"

"A twin?" Ohana and Natsuko say in unison.

"Yeah…I mean, Anko thought the man in her office was your father, when in reality it was Ketsu…" I explain.

"That would make it easier for my father to have an alibi," Natsuko murmurs under her breath.

I smile, relieved that we're finally getting somewhere with this case. But then my heart plummets into my stomach as I begin to sink. My eyes flick to the water's surface which is now, as I can see, blood. Ohana's blood.

I wriggle, flailing my arms to try and keep myself above the surface. The fiery tail around my leg has vanished and now the only thing I can feel is the hot, sticky blood that caresses my waist, down. I turn to the other girls for help, but their faces are impassive. And then Ohana's eyes widen.

"Hinata," he shouts. "The reason we summoned you here was to tell you something,"

"Well, tell me before I can't hear you," I retort as the blood begins to rise to my throat.

"Kai, Natsuko's father, has a different target," she says.

"What?" I call, unable to hear her words as the blood begins to fill the nooks and crannies of my ears.

"I said yow ah iz gan hafner!"

I open my mouth to call out to her again but Ohana's blood streams in, clogging my throat and choking me. I close my eyes as I finally sink to the bottom, sputtering out Ohana's blood and only being met with more.

And then my lungs give way and I collapse into unconsciousness.

…

My eyes flutter open and instantly I can breathe again. I gasp for air, clinging to the bed sheets beneath me and clawing at them with impatience as the air takes it sweet time to fill my lungs. Beside me I see Kiba, his eyes closed and his lips parted slightly. The room is dark, other than the light from my bedside lamp, and outside I can see a full moon.

Once I've recovered from my "asthma" attack, I can finally taste the blood in my mouth, and I gasp. Kiba wakes with a start, watching with wide eyes as I sputter out blood over the crisp white bed sheets. One of his hands pats my back as the other rests on my thigh. "Hinata," he says. I cough one last time before closing my mouth and eyes, and trying to forget about the taste of Ohana's blood.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" he inquires.

I shake my head, tears streaming down my cheeks at the thought of Ohana's blood being in my mouth. And then my heart slams into my chest when the memories from my dream comes rushing back to me. Ohana was trying to warn me of something. But what?

"Why are you crying? Hina, babe, come here,"

He pulls me into his chest while scooting over from his wooden chair to the side of my bed. I scoot over to give him room but he takes the opportunity to set me in his lap. "Your eyes," I gasp once I think I can breathe again.

"Their fine," he assures. "Now what's wrong with you? And why the hell did you stab me like that?" I close my mouth as my gag reflex kicks in. "Woah, do you need a bucket? We can call for one of the cops to bring you one."

"Where's my dad?" I choke out.

"He left; police business,"

"Water," I say. "Take me to the bathroom,"

Kiba slips his arms beneath the small of my back and the back of my knees, and then carries me into the bathroom. I scramble out of his arms the moment he turns to the light on, grab the Dixie cup and rinse out my mouth. I can see him grimacing from in the mirror.

Finally he hands me a towel to wipe my mouth on, and I take it gratefully, wiping away Ohana's memories. "Hinata," he says. "Answers, please?"

I nod, taking a seat on the toilet and letting out a small breath. "Okay," I say. "Ohana…well, it's hard to explain but Ohana and Natsuko were calling to me. They needed to talk to me about something," he nods. "They, I mean, I saw them inside your eyes and Ohana kept telling me to "touch the glass." So I poked you in the eyes," I give him a sheepish shrug.

"Poke isn't the word," he says while crouching before me. "It was more like stabbing, if not worse," he gives me a small smile, one that doesn't seem to reach his eyes, and then rests his palm on my thigh like before. "Tell me more,"

"We basically just discussed Natsuko's father and…we think her father, Kai," something flashed in Kiba's eyes. "Has a twin names Ketsu,"

"The guys from that day," Kiba murmurs.

"Right, and also, Ohana tried to tell me something… But I couldn't hear her. I was sinking into what I at first thought was water," my eyes fall to the floor. "But it was really Ohana's blood,"

"So then…the blood you just coughed up was Ohana's?" Kiba inquires.

"Yeah," I say.

"Oh, Hinata," he pulls me into his arms again and I can feel my heart taking flight, fluttering throughout my prison-of-a-chest. It wanted release; it wanted to join with Kiba's heart. And the way he was hugging me made me want to as well.

"I'm so sorry," he whispers.

"No probs," I say.

Kiba pulls back, a grin on his face. "You…" he laughs, shaking his head. I study his face; the way the corner of his eyes crinkle when he laughs, the way his canines poke out beneath his lip, and the way his stomach visibly tightens through his shirt. "Oh," Kiba says, quietly, as if he'd just remembered something. "We don't want to wake Chiaki,"

"Chiaki's here?" I ask while rising from my seat on the toilet.

"Everyone is, actually," Kiba responds. "Chiaki, Lee, Ino, Sakura, Tenten, and Neji,"

"Thank goodness," I whisper. And then my nose crinkles and I almost gag at a new scent that finds its way up my nostrils. "Oh, what is that smell?" I ask while plugging my nose with my fingers.

"Uh, that's you," Kiba says, an embarrassed blush appearing on his face.

"Me"?" My eyes widen in revelation. "I mean…come to think of it, I haven't showered in…how long?"

"Well, you've been asleep for a while and you've been sweating in bucket loads," Kiba says.

My cheeks heat to a temperature even the core of the earth couldn't compete with. "And you still stood with me," I say. "And bared it?"

"Every sweaty step of the way," Kiba says with a grin.

"Aw, that's my good boy," I tease while pinching his cheek. "I'd better hit the showers,"

"That's what I would do," he says while slapping my hand away. But then he catches my wrist and pulls me to his chest, a move that's so fast and unexpected it takes my breath away. "Hinata," he says. "I…Don't ever leave my sight, okay?"

I nod into his chest, relived that with the reality of his words comes safety.

"So that means I can't leave your side while I'm in the shower?" I ask.

Kiba's grip on me tightens and I can feel his body, especially certain parts, going rigid. "Who's the pervert now?" Kiba says mockingly while pulling away from me. And then his expression softens. "But I'll stay right here if you'd like me to. No peeking."

I smile. "Please do," I say. "But NO PEEKING, and I mean it," I whisper loudly.

"Okay, okay," he mumbles with a laugh, hands up in defense.

And then I put my hands on his shoulders and switch places with him so he's the one standing over the toilet. He takes a seat, closing his eyes with a grin. "Ready when you are," he says. "Just tell me when to open,"

"Okay," I say while turning away from him. And then I begin to strip, grimacing at the stench lingering on my shirt as I pull it over my head. I skip towards the shower curtain and twist the knob inside, glancing over my shoulder at Kiba who's sitting loyally on the toilet, eyes closed, like a good boy. I smile, hopping into the shower and pulling the curtain all the way around the bar overhead. "But Kiba," I say. He mumbles in response and my grins widens. "You can peek if I want you to,"

…

He stood outside her cabin window, peering into the dimly lit room. He'd been waiting in the bushes until the police had left, mumbling to each other that the kids would be just fine without them. And then he took his chance to peer in, disappointed when he found her bed empty.

He'd been watching her since that morning when he'd seen her crouched in the bushes. She'd somehow known about the fire, or else she wouldn't have been up so early in the morning. She knew something and he had to find out what.

But more importantly, she was beautiful with the body of a goddess. He'd already killed the victim he and his partner had been planning to kill all along, but when his daughter had to go too, he figured that two girls were dead and what would it hurt to add one more to the list? He'd already wrecked the plan they'd worked so hard to create. What was the point in denying himself any more pleasures?

Of course he was angry with himself for breaking the rules and taking things too far but who cared, really? This girl was special, and she _had_ to be his. The only thing in the way was that damned boyfriend of hers. Unless they were to get into a fight, he would have a difficult time getting to her.

He grinned.

Just like Ohana. It had been the perfect plot, really. That boyfriend of hers was already their lead suspect; he'd know. He'd overheard the guards talking about it just as he was released from his interrogation session. And nothing made him happier than to know that he'd gotten away with something so...illegal and gruesome, yet so beautiful.

But Anko was in interrogation at this very moment, and she had been for hours, since this morning. Somehow they had known she was a part of this. Had they caught her setting the fire? After all, he had fled from the scene to leave the woman to finish up with the body. His part, the _fun _part, had been over. He didn't like to dispose of them, and he didn't like to watch.

He also knew that the murders going on back home where the police were hell-bent on the idea of a _teenage serial killer_ were somehow being linked to the killings here. But they were wrong.

Dead wrong.

**A/N: ***Whew * Sorry that took so long. I was watching Naruto Shippuden, movie 5 all day, and now I cannot wait for movie six! Hinata and Sasuke are so different, and so cool! And I'm pretty sure Naruto's going to like Hinata's slutty attire and fall for her XD I can't wait until it comes out! So, I hope I didn't disappoint you guys with this chapter, too. But it is longer, so you have to at least give me that! Haha, comment :D


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

**A/N: **Hi guys :) I feel like this is getting really suspenseful, no? Haha, well, I'd really like to start on Avatar: Legend of Naruto because my entire being is craving so badly for Naruhina… So I need to finish this, but I will not rush it. I'll take my sweet time and make it good for all of you ;D Enjoy!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

Kiba and I hadn't done anything while I was in the shower, unfortunately. He'd kept to himself even when I'd asked or probed him. He obviously didn't want his title of being un-perverted to be tainted. But once I'd stepped out of the shower, Kiba had rushed to his feet and swept me into a hug, growling in my ear. "You're teasing has resulted in punishment," he'd said.

I had smiled, playing along. "What kind of punishment, of righteous one?" I'd mocked. "Keep in mind that I'm still naked and you're hugging me. So who's the perv now?"

He'd pulled away with a blush, and then took my hand and led me out of the bathroom. "I don't want anyone seeing you naked," he'd explained at my shocked expression.

"Yeah, because you're uncontrolled growling might have woken them," I'd retorted. "What brought that on, by the way?"

Kiba had walked me to my bed, standing as close as possible, shielding me from the others who were most definitely asleep. I changed under his guard as he'd explained to me that growling was a natural trait he'd picked up from all of the animals he'd dealt with at the pet shop.

Yeah, okay, Kiba. Is that monster in your pants also from the pet shop?

Of course I hadn't actually said that. He would have tripled my punishment tenfold.

So here we were, laying awake at three in the morning, about the same time I'd gone for my little "run" yesterday. Kiba and I were sharing my bed, no surprise there, and his arm was draped around me protectively.

I pull myself closer to him, curling my toes as I breathe in his scent. "You smell good," I whisper into the darkness.

"So do you," he whispers back. "About time, too,"

I pull my knee up, intending to hit him in the gut but accidentally striking lower. Kiba grunts in pain, his arm retracting to clutch his sore spot. My eyes widen, and I start to stutter out an apology but Kiba's chuckling stops me. "Did Ohana tell you to do that too?" he jokes.

My stomach flips as something cold floods my insides. Something in my mind tells me to shove him for being both dumb and funny, but something else tells me to turn this mistake into a chance. A chance at something, anyway.

"Maybe she did," I whisper as seductively as I can. I wasn't big with the whole "sexy" thing.

"Oh really?" Kiba asks. And even though it's dark I can tell that his head has tilted back up to lay beside mine on the pillow. "And why would she do that?"

"Because," I say, swallowing hard. The cold feeling in my stomach had suddenly turned fiery hot. "I think she wanted to help me."

"Help you with what?" his lips were at my cheek, his hot breath caressing my skin and sending chills down my spine.

"With…making a move," I squeak. And then I inwardly groan because I don't sound sexy anymore, and instead I sound like Naruto trying to flirt with a girl; which is really hard to watch since he's not into them.

Kiba laughs, moving closer. And the only way I can tell that he's moved closer is because his canines are pricking my skin ever so lightly. "You're cute when you're trying to be sexy," he says. I can feel his soft lips moving against my skin; his hands brushing against my thighs; his chest pressed against mine. A lock of his hair brushes against my temple.

"Kiba," I say, biting my bottom lip.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe…maybe this once I'd like you to be… a bit perverted,"

Kami, I was glad it was dark because if he were able to see me he'd have taken a picture at how embarrassed I'm sure I look. My face was so hot, and I could actually feel my heart pumping in my head, my hands, my stomach-almost as if there were tiny beating hearts in every part of my body.

Kiba's hands run up and down my arms, making the hairs on my arms stand on edge. "And maybe I'd like for you to be just a little bit of a…bad girl," he breathes into my ear.

I was sure he could feel my heart beating against his chest. He knew how flustered I was, and he was enjoying every bit of it, feeding off of it and using it against me. My punishment. I let out a shaky breath. "That's not fair, Kiba," I say, not totally surprised by how shaky my voice sounds. "I didn't tease you this much,"

"I'm not teasing you," he whispers.

And then I feel his warm tongue glide across my skin, tracing little hearts on my cheek as if his tongue were actually a pencil, and he could engrave his marking on me to show the world that I was his. His hands move from my arms to my shoulders, the pads of his thumbs massaging the area just above my breasts.

Not teasing me, my ass.

"Kiba," I moan quietly. "Don't wake them,"

"What's going to wake them? You're growling?" he teases.

"I don't growl, Kiba," I say pointedly.

"Oh right, you moan," he drawls, and I can practically hear the smug grin in his voice. I shudder as his tongue withdraws and his lips dance across my jaw line to an unheard song. "Which is so sexy," he says while rubbing his crotch against mine. My bottom lip begins to tremble slightly.

And then his lips find mine and he gives me one sweet, tender kiss. I close my eyes, enjoying this because he's not teasing me and he isn't being a pervert, either. This is coming from his heart. And it almost feels like a goodbye kiss.

He pulls away, and when he does, everything else stops. He returns to the position he was in before I took my chance and moved in for the kill. And it was most definitely a kill, because when it was over I felt completely drained.

"I love you, Hinata," he whispers before giving me a soft kiss on my chin.

"I love you too,"

…

The next day was chaotic.

When I open my eyes I'm both surprised and mortified to find my father and another officer leaning over me and Kiba. I turn my attention towards my still-sleeping boyfriend who's arm is still wrapped around me, his face inches from mine. I turn back to my father, who's watching the two of us with one arched eyebrow.

"Did I interrupt you two?" he asks. The officer beside him smirks.

"Shut up," I huff.

"Oh calm down, baby," my father says. "You two are actually quite…fitting together,"

"What he means is you guys look cute," the officer beside him clarifies, ignoring my father's glare. "That boy of yours has been guarding you like a dog."

"I can believe that," I mumble with a grin.

"He's been sleeping with his nose tucked in your hair since you two fell asleep," the officer continues.

"You were watching?" I ask, humiliated.

"Okay, enough," my father says. "Hinata, I'm really sorry about this but there was nothing I could do. They're arrested Gaara,"

My eyebrows raise so far that I'm surprised they didn't rip the skin. I shake my head, my eyes darting between my father and the other officer. As if reading my thoughts, my father says, "Oh, and Hinata, this is your uncle, Miroku," I nod slowly. "He's known about your gift since you were a kid,"

"Oh," I say. Miroku smiled down at me sympathetically.

"I know about your suspicions with Anko, though," Miroku says, either to cheer me up or to make a point. "We have her in custody and are searching her office at the moment,"

"Well Anko isn't the one you should be looking for," I say. My father and Miroku give me shocked looks. "I mean, she's a part of this but the man you should be looking for is Kai. He's Natsuko's father,"

"I'll do a person's search," Miroku informs my father.

"Alright, get on that," my father says. Miroku gives me a small wave, half smiling, before exiting the cabin. My father lets out a breath. "What else?" he asks.

"Well, I know Kai has a buddy named Ketsu," I say.

Kiba stirs beside me and before I can turn and make sure if he's awake or not, he reaches around me and squeezes my chest. My eyes widen, a blush appearing on my face as quickly and brightly as if someone had just poured a bucket of red paint over my head. Kiba chuckles from behind me as he gropes at my chest. "I'm sorry I teased you last night, Hinata," he whispered gruffly. "Hopefully I can make it up to you. Would you maybe want to turn around here so I can see those babies fully?"

My father's lips thinned so that you couldn't even see them anymore, his face red with anger. "No, I think she's fine with her shirt on, thank you," my father says through clenched teeth. I wince as Kiba pulls his arms back quicker than you can say _dobe_.

"Oh, Hiashi," he says sheepishly. "Was I sleep-talking? Wow, some crazy dream, huh? I guess because I keep all of my perverted thoughts and actions to myself that they just overtake me when I'm asleep. Because…guys…need to have some…uh…" Kiba's air-tight excuse begins to weaken as my father glowers at him. "Didn't you and your wife ever do things like this when you were young?"

I gasp. "Kiba, that's not-"

"Don't worry about my affairs," my father states. "Worry about yours, and the bills you'll have to pay when you're released from the hospital."

Kiba swallows so hard that I can actually hear it from behind me. "Daddy," I say. "Kiba's a good kid. He didn't even peek when I got out of the shower,"

"What was he doing in the bathroom with you?" my dad shouts, awakening the rest of the people in the room.

"I mean, no, he wasn't in the bathroom. He was waiting on my bed but I forgot my clothes out here so…I came out… he didn't look!" I shout the last part, flustered from his interrogating look.

"Forget it," my father mutters. "It's not that I don't trust Kiba, I do, because he's guarded over you all night-hasn't even left your side since the murders happened; it's just that he shouldn't be groping my daughter's breasts," The icy-hot feeling was back. I'd might as well keep the damned feeling and store it in my feelings box.

"He should try to be act like more of a proper gentlemen, like your cousin, Neji," my father finishes. Behind him, Neji shrinks deeper into the covers, Tenten stifling her giggles at the irony. "So anyways, because they've arrested Gaara-"

"They what?" Kiba interrupts, earning a glare from my father.

"The officers have declared the camp safe again. They're returning to their usual schedule, so I'd like to make this very clear, especially to those of you eavesdropping on this conversation," the rest of us sweat-drop. "No one walks these grounds alone, am I clear? That killer is still out there, and Miroku and I will be doing everything in our power to catch the real killer. I'll speak with you late, Hinata."

He bends down, planting a kiss to my forehead, and then sends Kiba another glare before turning for the door. "Oh, and Neji," he says, pausing before the door. Said boy held his breath. "Put on some pants."

I heard Kiba snickering form behind me.

"You were grunting a lot in your sleep. Tell your girlfriend to keep her hands to herself,"

…

I took a seat at the lunch table, shooting Kiba a tired smile. Neji and Tenten were forced by my father to sit in the lunch room today, which Tenten complied to readily, not wanting to be yelled at by him again. "I still can't believe your uncle said that to us," Tenten whispers with a blush. "That was so embarrassing,"

Neji gives her a reassuring squeeze. "Don't fret it, Tenten, he was just trying to keep you safe,"

"Safe? From what?" she inquires while dipping her finger into the caramel sauce that smothers her pastry.

"From certain…creatures," Neji says with a smirk.

"More like monsters," Kiba mutters.

"Closet monsters are so last year," Naruto adds. "Boxer monsters are totally the rage,"

"Naruto," I say, gasping.

Tenten rolls her eyes. "I'm not innocent; I knew what he meant by 'creatures." And Naruto, that wasn't even cute,"

"Well neither are you," he retorts while sticking out his tongue.

Neji and Tenten both shot him a glare, to which Naruto shrunk away from. "At least I'm not an idiot," Tenten says with a smirk. "Sasuke told me about your little slip up,"

Naruto looks to Sasuke with disbelief but the raven-haired teen is already shooting him a nasty glare. Tenten snorts. "You don't actually tell the police what you and your partner were up to. They aren't like you Naruto; they don't want all of the juicy details,"

"Shut up," Naruto shouts, the bridge of his nose taking on a red shade.

I giggle at their antics while shoveling a spoon on caramelized bananas into my mouth. Beside me, Kiba is playing with his peaches. "Kiba," I whisper. His eyes flick to mine, and the deep, golden brown of them sends me into a spiraling session of _ogle or not._ All of the crazy red auaras still lingered on everyone in the entire camp, everyone but Kiba and I, but I had gotten used to it. It had died down a bit so it wasn't like it was blinding me anymore. No reason for another panic attack. 

"Maybe later," I say while placing my hand over his. "We can finish what we started?"

"Oh, you mean the game last night or the war between your father and I?" he retorts sourly.

I frown. "Kiba, don't be like that," I whine. "He pissed all over Neji's parade too,"

"But Hinata, you don't understand. I'm…I'm supposed to be the righteous, perfect boyfriend."

My mouth opens wide, and I gape at him. "What are you talking about?" I ask, my hand moving from his hand to his chest. "You are the perfect boyfriend. You're sweet, funny, handsome, protective-"

"I don't need a list, Hinata," he interrupts. "I just… I don't want your father to see me like that,"

"Well, if we don't do it while he's in the room then he can't see us," I say playfully.

Kiba's lips twitch up. "You're so beautiful," he whispers while cupping my cheek.

Tenten makes a gagging noise, breaking Kiba and my trance. She's frowning in disgust at the two of us, cheeks puffing out, stuffed with food. She chews, swallows. "That's sicker than that," she says while jabbing her thumb towards Chiaki and Lee.

Lee was spoon feeding Chiaki something that looked remotely like applesauce. My heart drops to my feet. "Poor Chiaki," I say, quiet enough so that the two can't hear me but the people around me can.

"How close do you think Chiaki and Ohana were?" Neji asks.

"I don't know, but I'm willing to bet that they were really tight," Naruto says.

Suddenly, the speakers overhead send out an ear-splitting sound that jerks everyone out of their conversations. "Naruto Uzumaki and Hinata Hyuga to the main office," Iruka says. Naruto and I share a look, and then we stand in unison, noticing that everyone around us watches.

"I'll come too," Kiba says, rising to his feet. But I push him back down, giving him a reassuring smile.

"I'll be fine; I have Naruto with me," I say.

Kiba doesn't look convinced in the slightest, but he complies, letting Naruto lead me to the double doors, his hand clasped in mine.

…

When Naruto and I enter the office, we're met by a circle of unhappy faces, all of which consist of councilors and officers. We release each other's hands, stepping back in slight fear. "Naruto, Hinata," Iruka says. "I'm sorry to say this because Naruto, you and I have been tight since you were a little kid,"

_So that's where he gets his vocabulary, _I think.

"But since you two are the most suspicious people of all of the campers…" Iruka let his sentence trail off, creating suspense for the both of us. Finally, one of the other counselors got tired of his shenanigans and finished his sentence, sending a wave of relief through me and Naruto.

"You two will be assigned to clean up the gym,"

Naruto and I both let out a sigh of relief.

"You kids look very relieved." One of the officers says.

"Oh, we are," Naruto answers, grinning.

"Maybe because you two are guilty of something?"

"No," Naruto says frantically, whipping his head back and forth. "I mean, I swear, it was a one night thing,"

I sweat drop, taking the plate for him. "What will we be doing, exactly? Hasn't the building been burned to ashes?"

"No," one of the officers says with a small smile. "We got there in time for it to only consist of a little damage. We've cleaned the place up but all of the decorations we'd been storing for the dance were ruined. You two have to re-setup the gym."

I frown.

If the place wasn't burned to the ground then that meant only one thing.

Natsuko's body wouldn't have been burned either.

And they should have found her.

**A/N: **Sorry, that's all I can write because my sister is throwing up and my mom is nagging me to get to bed and…yeah. Hope you enjoyed that! I tried to be funny for you guys ;D Comment please!


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty One

**A/N: **Hi guys :) I started summer gym class so I haven't been able to write... But, as most of you know, I am starting new stories, and if you do not know of them then go to my profile, especially if you like Bridezillas ;D So once I finish this I can work on those, which means I will be trying really hard to update quickly… but gym is all summer long and it is five hours a day… -_- wish me luck.

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does._

There was something about her, indeed. Although he had yet to figure out what it was that made him uneasy, made him want to go back and make sure he'd covered up his tracks, he'd still seen her a different light; a softer glow, that is.

She was angelic in every way. Porcelain skin and silky blue hair. And her eyes. They were like two bowls of mil set out for stray kittens, with a hint of lavender. But she was always guarded, if not by her boyfriend then by herself. Her attitude is what scared him.

She was almost a loner, in a way. Although she had friends she was still shy and tentative. She strayed from crowds and stayed in the back, almost blending in. Almost. But she'd been there that morning and somehow she knew about the fire. Even he hadn't known about the fire and yet she did.

Intriguing, she was, and a good mystery to solve. He'd have to put her into one of his novels. Hinata Hyuga, the all-knowing beauty.

…

I sigh as my hand flies up to clutch my head. The room was not only nebulous with smoke and dust but it gave off a red glow, one that was even brighter and more annoying than all of the others I had to deal with. That was because we were in the gym, the exact place Natsuko was killed.

And not only was my head hurting but also my throat was beginning to close. And I'd thought it was bad when I'd had the dream. Being in the actual building was much, much worse.

Naruto pauses, leaning against his broom as he turns to look at me. I stop to, gazing back in confusion. "It sucks we got chosen to work this stupid joint," he mutters. Then he lifts his chin in acknowledgment. "What are you in for?"

I giggle, shaking my head. "Naruto, stop trying to act so cool," I say. Naruto cracks a smile, returning to his work.

"But seriously, though, why did they find you suspicious?" he inquires.

I shrug. "I was out that morning, on a run,"

His eyebrows raise in shock. "Wow, that seems pretty suspicious, sunshine. Why were you out running so early?"

"I was just…running," I say. "I couldn't sleep. So why were you called in?"

He grins, a blush spreading across his cheeks. "Sasuke and I… well, we were sort of-"

"Never mind," I say, cutting him off as I hold up my hand. "Don't say any more,"

Naruto chuckles, and then clears his throat. "So why did this building burn down anyway?"

My body goes rigid, but I try to shake it off and pray that he didn't notice. But of course Naruto is kneeling on the ground inspecting a piece of shattered glass. "I don't know," I say. "But Natsuko is missing,"

"Yeah," Naruto says softly. "Too bad, too. Sasuke says she was kind of cool,"

"Sasuke?" I say in surprise. "He thought she was cool? He doesn't even think I'm cool!"

"Oh hush," Naruto says while tossing the shard aside. "He likes you; he just doesn't find you…interesting enough, I guess,"

"Whatever," I say with a lopsided grin.

I finish sweeping my half of the floor and set the broom aside, making my way towards a molten bookshelf. "We should probably throw this out," I murmur to myself.

"So Hinata," Naruto says.

I glance over my shoulder at him as I struggle to slide the bookshelf from its spot. "Hey, can you give me some help?" I ask.

Naruto sets down his broom to help push the bookcase out of the gym. "Lift with your knees," he instructs. I smile and do so.

"Aye, aye, sir," I say with a laugh. "So anyways, what did you want to say?"

"Oh yeah. Remember when you used to have a crush on me?"

The bottom of the bookshelf slips from my fingers and I drop it right on Naruto's toes. He yelps in pain, and my hand flies up to cover my mouth. "Oh my gosh," I say. "I'm so sorry, Naruto. I didn't mean to! It's just," I begin to lift the bookshelf off of his feet. "You caught me by surprise…"

Naruto lets out a breath, the color returning to his face along with his silly grin. "No problem," he assures. And then he crouches down and lifts his side up again. "So does the thought of liking me scare you that bad?" he continues.

"Naruto," I sigh. He opens the door with his foot and then we toss it out the door in unison. Naruto kicks it farther into the grass before clapping the dirt off of his hands. "Naruto," I say again. "Are you and Sasuke having trouble again?"

Normally when Sasuke and Naruto fight or have a problem Naruto mentions something about my and his past, which is actually kind of odd, but Naruto being Naruto, it didn't really surprise me all that much. Well, except for his previous question.

"No," he sighs and takes a seat on the dirtied steps. "It's just… I've been having these weird dreams,"

"What about?" I ask while taking the seat beside him.

"I don't really…wanna' talk about it," he says quietly.

"Naruto," I slap him lightly on the arm. "If you didn't want to talk about it then you wouldn't; have brought it up. Now spill,"

He shrugs, a blush dusting the bridge of his nose. "I keep having dreams about girls," he admits. "I think…something's wrong with me,"

I almost laugh at that. He thinks that because he's thinking about girls that something is wrong with him? His scenario was pretty much the other way around but I felt bad about even thinking the thought and dismissed it quickly.

"Naruto," I rest a hand on his knee. He's shaking. "Naruto, that's totally normal,"

"No it's not; I'm gay." He shakes his head. "How can I face Sasuke like this? He'd be… so heartbroken."

I let out a sigh from my nose. And then he jerks his leg away from my touch, sending me an apologetic look with it. "Sorry," he says. "But you touching me doesn't help,"

"Oh," is all I can say. And now my face is heating up as much as his and the hazy feeling created from the aura doesn't help me settle down one bit. I swallow the lump in my throat and proceed as Dr. Hyuga. "Naruto, guys have certain hormones that make them attracted to girls. So you being, erm, gay is just because your hormones are all jacked up."

He gives me a hurt look, which makes me flustered, and guilt begins to protrude my mind. "I mean, not that you're jacked up because you're awesome."

Nice, Hinata.

"But, Naruto, maybe some of your hormones are returning to normal…?"

Naruto rakes a hand through his hair. "What do I tell Sasuke?"

His voice is barely a whisper, and I can tell he's on the verge of tears. I press my lips together tightly and take his hand in mine. Naruto looks up at me, startled, and I can see that the damn has already broken. "Naruto," I say firmly. "You and Sasuke are the cutest couple I've ever seen,"

Not a_ total_ lie…

"And I'm not going to let the two of you be broken apart,"

"So what are you doing to do?" he asks unbelievingly.

I smile. "I'm going to make you both watch porn,"

…

"So how was your first day on the job?" Kiba asks as I climb into bed.

"Tiring," I say.

"Well you missed quite a lot," Kiba says as he takes a seat beside me on the bed. "Kurenie says that since she doesn't think Natsuko is alive…" his gaze falls to his lap. "That she's going to have to assign you another partner,"

"Oh shit," I exclaim. "I almost forgot about the end of camp performance!" I flop onto my back and let out a breath. Kiba follows suit, lying on his side so he's facing me, his head resting in the palm of his hand. "I haven't even showed up to that class in so long," I continue. "And now I don't think I'll be able to because I have that stupid shift with Naruto,"

Kiba strokes the side of my face while gazing down at me. His face comes closer so that we're only inches apart and then he smiles sweetly. "I told Kurenie to put you in my group," he whispers. And then he kisses me softly.

I pull away from him though, my head spinning with the new information and the suddenness of the kiss. "What?" I say.

"You and I will be partners," he repeats.

"But what about Mae?"

"She's going to be with Chiaki's partner," Kiba says, his voice lowering.

"What?" my eyebrows raise. "So then… who's Chiaki going to be with?"

Kiba laughs, but it doesn't seem real. "It's not some loop, Hinata," he says. "It's more like musical chairs. Someone's not in, and it's Chiaki,"

"Why?"

I don't mean to, but I slap him in the chest. My frown is so deep that my face feels stuck and it's actually beginning to hurt a bit. And then I feel guilty and start to rub his chest as a sorry. Kiba moves his hand from my face and rests it on the top of the hand rubbing his chest.

"Hinata, you know why. Chiaki can't even feed herself-Lee has to spoon feed her like a baby. She can't sing in the show,"

My lip begins to quiver, so I avert my gaze, thinking that maybe that would hide the tears that are beginning to prick the corners of my eyes. Kiba rubs my bottom lip with the pad of his thumb before pulling me into his chest and burying his nose in my hair.

And then there's a knock on the door.

I groan, beginning to loosen myself from Kiba's grip when to door swings open itself and there stand Iruka and the red-headed police officer who's interviewed me.

"Don't you two know how to knock?" I say rudely.

Iruka crosses his arms over his chest, his frown deepening. "When I said we were going back to camp schedule, I meant everything is going back. No boys allowed,"

The officer leans against the side of the door, arms crossed coolly. I was guessing that he was here for reinforcements.

"But someone is still out there," Kiba argues. "I'm not letting Hinata out of my sight-"

"I don't give two shits about what you say," Iruka interrupts. "No one is out there. We have two suspects already in custody."

"Who? Gaara?" Kiba shouts.

"Kiba," I whisper in warning.

And I can't even describe the look of shock on Iruka's face. But Iruka isn't nearly as shocked as I am pissed. How could Kiba do that? My father wasn't supposed to be telling Kiba about these things-I wasn't even allowed to know! He could get my dad fired, for Kami's sake!

I push away from his chest, my face saying it all. Kiba looks down at me in a mixture of question and rage. "I brought reinforcements, son," Iruka says threateningly.

"Yeah," the officer says. "And the reinforcements wants to know how you knew about Gaara being locked up."

I can hear Kiba swallow and before I can even open my mouth to stutter out an excuse-in concern for Kiba ratting my dad out, not because I'm concerned about Kiba, because at this point I am completely pissed- but he beats me to it.

"Gaara's cabin is right beside mine," Kiba says. "I haven't seen him in a while. That's how I know,"

"Oh really?" the officer counters. "Because you've been here this whole time, so how would you know?"

"Ryuji," Iruka says.

The officer stands straighter, waiting for his call. "Get these three out of here,"

But before Ryuji can do squat, I'm out of my bed and standing before them, legs and arms spread wide. "You can take Kiba and you can take Neji," I say. "But you will not take Lee."

I can feel everyone's startled eyes on me, but Chiaki's eyes are the most intense, even though I can't see her. But I feel it and I know that she understands, for the first time in days, that I'm here beside her, fighting for her, and that I'm not going to let anything happen to her.

"Sorry, but no boys allowed," Ryuji says, and tries to brush past me. But I stand my ground and push him back. He looks to me with wide eyes, an appalled expression on his face.

"No," I say firmly. "She's been through way too much. She can't function without him,"

"It's true," Tenten adds, coming to my aid. Ryuji and Iruka turn to her. "Lee has to feed her breakfast, lunch, and dinner,"

"She even had to drop out of the show," Kiba says darkly.

Ryuji contemplates this, but then his face hardens and he pushes me aside. And that's when Kiba loses it.

He lunges off of the bed and grabs Ryuji in a tight hold, something I've never seen him do before. And then I see the dark side of him, the more animal side that sometimes peeks out but is never really all present.

He takes Ryuji in a headlock, about ready to snap his neck. "Don't you ever hurt her," he growls. And then Neji and Iruka are by his side, tugging at his arms. I watch with wide-eyed horror as finally, he releases him and Ryuji drops to his knees.

Kiba and my eyes lock, and then his fall to the ground. "I'm going back to the cabin," Kiba mutters.

"Oh no you're not," Iruka says, and grabs him by the collar of his shirt. "You're coming with us to head quarters,"

"What?" I say, astonished.

"Well, not headquarters, but he's going where Gaara is." Iruka puts his nose to Kiba's. "Where we'll have our eyes on him twenty-four-seven,"

And then he leads Kiba away, telling Ryuji to get up and grab the other two boys. And I just stand there motionless as he drags Lee away from a screaming and trashing Chiaki, and Neji parts with Tenten with a small wave.

**A/N: **VERY short chapter but I have to get to bed because I have gym tomorrow… :(

So I'll see you guys Saturday or Friday when I have time to write again…

Hell…just hell…

Review!


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty Two

**A/N: **Hi guys :) I know the last chapter sucked but I have writer's block -_- Anyways, you guys know about my new stories, most likely because I've been advertising them like a freaking greed train, so I hope you check them out once I've finished this story! Yeah!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

I pace the room, hand clasped behind my back, as I stare at the faces of the two boys before me. Naruto is tapping his foot against the floor nervously while Sasuke sits beside him on the bed, bored, with his hands clasped together and his chin resting on top of them. I stop and turn to the two.

"Naruto, Sasuke,"

"Why did you call for this "meeting"?" Sasuke asks in a droning tone.

"Because I have a little problem, Sasuke," I answer. "A scientific problem,"

"So?" he raises an eyebrow. "We both know Naruto can't help with that and me," he shrugs. "Well, I don't care,"

"Because I'm not cool," I mutter under my breath.

"What?"

"I said because you're a fool!" I shout. "Now listen to me now because I'll only ask this once. Sasuke," I stand before him, my chest in his face. "Have you ever thought about girls before?"

Sasuke turns to Naruto slowly, a frown on his face. "Naruto," he says. "Does this have anything to do with those dreams?"

"What?" Naruto and I shout simultaneously.

"You knew?" I inquire.

"Duh,"

I turn to Naruto. "Then why the hell am I here?"

"I didn't know he knew either," Naruto exclaims, hands up in surrender. And then we both turn to Sasuke expectantly. "How did you know?"

"Because you've been clutching at your crotch the past few nights and cumming all over you sheets," he says simply.

"So?" Naruto says, and then blushes. "How did you know that!"

Sasuke rolls his eyes.

"Naruto," I say. "You probably wouldn't have a wet dream about a guy. It's not normal, even for gay guys," (A/N: I don't know that for sure, but if I'm wrong then let me say this: I am not scientist!)

Naruto huffs, arms crossed. Sasuke leans towards the depressed blond and drapes an arm over his shoulder. "Naruto," he says, his voice smoothing over. "It's alright. I've had them before, too." He turns to glare at me.

"What?" I say innocently. "I won't tell,"

He snorts. Naruto turns to face him; cobalt meet azure, like dark storm clouds passing through clear blue skies. And then Sasuke leans forward and plants a kiss to Naruto's lips. I turn away, my cheeks and neck heating.

_Arg, this is so gross…_

And then I turn back and clap my hands. "Okay," I say while pulling out a magazine. "You two are both going to read this together."

"What don't you get about gay, sunshine?" Sasuke asks with a smirk.

"Does everyone know my nickname?" I shout. "Anyways, you guys are going to read this so Naruto can get over his wet dreams,"

"And what if he cums everywhere?"

"Then enjoy yourself," I say, and throw the magazine at Naruto's face.

Suddenly the door opens and in walks a startled looking Kiba. "Hinata?" he says. "What are you doing in here? I've been looking everywhere for you," and then he turns and spots the magazine in Naruto's hand and blanches. "What the fuck!"

I cross my arms over my chest and brush past him towards the door. "Have fun you two," I say. Kiba catches me by the wrist but I'm already halfway outside, and so I just tug him along with me.

"Hinata," he says. I stop, biting my bottom lip.

I didn't want to ignore him or fight with him, but what could I say? He could have gotten my dad fired, with his huge-ass mouth. And honestly, it wasn't even any of his business to begin with. But he had gone berserk when Ryuji had shoved me. And that was really sweet.

But my house and well-being is more important.

"Why have you been ignoring me?" he demands. And then his voice gets quieter. "You weren't in class today,"

"I had the shift," I say as I turn to face him. His eyes look so sad that it makes me avert my gaze.

"Oh," he says. "But…what about the buddy system? You've been ignoring me, you know, and I'm no moron,"

I sigh while pinching the bridge of my nose. "Kiba, do you know what you did back there?" I ask.

"I beat up a cop," he says. "But I did it for you,"

"No!" I shout, shaking my head. Kiba's eyes widen and he takes a step back. "You could have gotten my dad fired, releasing that information! Don't you think before you act?"

Kiba winces, and this time he's the one to avert his gaze. I watch as one of his bare toes plays in the dirt beneath us. "I'm sorry," he says softly. "I should have known better,"

Kiba blinks and I know that I've really done it. I've been too hard on him and really, he had apologized…

"Kiba," I say while lifting a hand to his cheek. He winces at my touch but I keep going, moving to the shiny brown locks that fall into his forehead and twisting one of the strands around my finger. "I forgive you," I whisper while leaning towards him for a kiss.

But just as I'm about to do so, someone bumps into me, screaming and hollering my name. I crash into Kiba's chest and his arms warp around my body to steady me, both of our faces smashing together. One of our noses cracks.

"What the hell?" I say while twisting around, still in Kiba's arms. But then I stop, all of my anger subsided, literally draining from me, along with the color in my face. Ino stands before me, gasping for breath.

"Chiaki," she says breathily.

And that's all I need.

Before Ino or Kiba could stop me, I was running back to the cabin as quickly as I could. My feet were hitting the ground so hard that it sent tiny pins and needles running up and down my calves, and I was panting harder than Ino had been. I can faintly hear Kiba and Ino's voices behind me, calling for me to wait for them to catch up.

But I don't.

And when I reach the cabin and throw open the door, I fall to my knees, tears pricking my eyes at the sight before me. Sakura and Tenten are worrying their hair, pulling and tugging and muttering desperate words. Neji is on the phone with who I assume is my father and Lee… Oh, Lee. Lee is curled up on Chiaki's bed, clutching her pillow to his chest as he cries out for his lost love.

"What the fuck is happening?" I ask. The words come out slurred, as if I can't speak properly or I was drunk, but Tenten and Sakura turn their attention towards me the second they hear my voice and come at me with tear-filled eyes and twitching fingers, as they clutch the hems of my shirts and tug.

"Chiaki," Sakura says through a sob. "She's missing,"

My whole world goes black as the words hit me hard. I stumble back, their hands that are still clutching the hems of my shirts being the only means of my still standing. My head is swimming in a deep, dark blackness. My vision is not only showing red but also black and grey and yellow.

"Is she…?" Tenten whispers in my ear. "Please, Hinata, you're the only one who can tell us,"

I shake my head. Sakura wasn't listening anymore, but instead she was tugging at Neji's arm as she tried to listen in on his conversation. "No," I croak. "I don't know… There's already Natsuko's aura; I just can't tell,"

Tenten nods in understanding. And that's when Kiba and Ino burst through the door, gasping for breath, hands on their knees. "You run like a freaking-"

"Chiaki's missing," I blurt out, cutting Kiba off.

His pupils dilate as the rest of his face falls, an expression that looks both unnatural and fitting. And then he's clenching his fists as he hastily grabs Neji's phone and shouts, "Mr. Hyuga, this is Kiba. Is Chiaki okay? Have you guys found her yet?"

"Kiba," Neji says.

He holds up his hand in response, turns away. My lower lip begins to tremble and I feel a wave of emotions coming over me. Kiba turns to me and holds out the phone. "He wants to talk to you," he says.

I take the phone and hold it to my ear. "Hello?" I murmur.

"Hinata, we need to talk right now," my dad says.

"Well we're on the phone. This would be a good time to do it," I say sourly while taking a seat on my bed.

My father lets out an irritated sigh before saying, "Miroku looked up Natsuko's father. Would you like to hear what he found out?"

"I thought we were talking about Chiaki," I say.

"We were, but this is seriously major. You need to hear this,"

"Ok," I say. "Put it on me,"

"Natsuko's father's real name is not Kai," he says. My heart leaps out of my throat at his words. His name isn't Kai? Then Ketsu must be her father!

"What's his name?" I ask.

"She doesn't have a father," he says.

My whole body goes numb and the blackness that had clouded over my vision is now returning.

"What?"

"She has neither a father nor a mother," he says. "That's because Natsuko doesn't exist,"

…

Kiba and I met my father in his police car as soon as possible. We'd even skipped dinner, though I'm sure everyone else in the cabin had, too, at the news of Chiaki's disappearance. And this was no coincidence. He took her. Kai.

Or Ketsu…

Or whoever…

"Ok, so what do you mean she didn't exist?" I say. "Obviously she's no ghost or anything,"

"I know," my father says, nodding. He had the windows rolled up so no one could eavesdrop. Kiba and I were sitting in the back of the car behind the glass. "Natsuko Suzuki does not exist. We looked her up and guess what,"

Kiba and I stare at my father expectantly.

"She died three years ago,"

"She _what_?" Kiba and I say in unison.

"That's right. Natsuko Suzuki, age thirteen, died in a house fire set by someone dressed in all black. They were never caught, but someone dressed in all black returns to the house every year, on its anniversary,"

"Then what was her real name?" Kiba asks.

My father shrugs. "We're working on it now. We've got some DNA from the clothes in her cabin and we'll be testing it. But we know one thing for sure. Her father, this Kai guy, named her that for some reason."

"You don't think he's the one who set the fire, do you?" I inquire.

"Who knows?" my father sighs and slaps down the manila folder on the passenger seat. "She has a different name, that's certain. But why did everyone call her that and why was it on her school records?" my dad lets out a curt breath through his nose. "She, or her family, had something to do with that fire."

…

Chiaki opened her eyes to find herself somewhere pitch dark. It smelled of gasoline and metal, a nauseating stench. She swallowed, all of her senses finally returning for the first time in days. Her eyes were crusted over with tears and sleep; she stifled a yawn.

She couldn't remember what had happened to her. All she knew was that she was in bed alone, and Sakura, Ino, and Tenten had left for breakfast, leaving her to cuddle with the scent of Lee on her blankets. Hinata had gone to her shift earlier that morning.

She'd fallen back asleep, sinking deeper into her bed. And then somewhere in the middle of her dream she'd felt someone's hands on her. They were carrying her. She'd, of course, thought it was Lee so she hadn't fretted. Now she knew she was wrong not to.

She struggled against the ropes that bound her together. They were binding her ankles wrists, and waist. There was a cloth over her mouth, too. She tried screaming but her voice was too dry. Her tongue was practically sandpaper in her mouth.

She thought of Lee as fresh tears sprung from her lids. And then she thought of Ohana and her fate. How her life had been ended so quickly. Would that be her case too? Would she die alone in this…this…? Where was she, exactly? It smelled of gasoline so was she in a car? Did that mean someone was taking her somewhere?

Somewhere to kill her?

Chiaki started to squirm more intensely now, her body bruising as it banged against the metal sides of whatever contained her. And then she froze when she heard footsteps overhead. There was no way she was in a car. She must have been in a basement, a basement with a lot of gasoline.

And then there was light, and a lot of it. She closed her eyes, turning away, and then when she felt the sting leave her eyelids she opened them again. Someone was there, and they were breathing hard, right into her face. There wasn't a lot of room where they kept her.

"How are you feeling? Thirsty?"

It was a man's voice.

Chiaki tried screaming again but to no avail. The man chuckled and then Chiaki heard something click.

"I'll give you some water. But no screaming." And then he grunted. "Not that anyone will hear you," and then he tugged the cloth from her face and stuck the nipple of a bottle into her mouth. Her eyelids felt heavy, all of a sudden, but her tongue was no longer dry.

She silently thanked Kami for the water before passing out again.

…

When Ryuji woke me up at five the next morning, I was already pissed. How could he do this? Expect me to work when my best friend was missing? Now I knew exactly how Chiaki felt, except her situation had now been doubled to far worse.

I slip into some sweats and a pink V-neck before heading into the bathroom to brush my hair and teeth. When I come out, pulling my hair into a high ponytail, I'm surprised to see Kiba in the room standing beside Ryuji. "What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Like I trust this bozo to get you to your shift safely," Kiba snorts. I frown at him, glancing at the very annoyed-looking Ryuji.

"But he's a cop," I say.

"You know, you shouldn't even have to work this shift. Chiaki is-"

"I know about the kid," Ryuji cuts him off. "But Hinata has a duty to attend. You're welcome to come of you keep your mouth shut,"

Kiba rolls his eyes and takes my hand. "This isn't even Hinata's duty," he mutters.

Ryuji ignores him and instead opens the door. A cold air wraps itself around my body and I shiver, letting Kiba fight the cold for his rightful place in an embrace. Finally we arrive at the gym and I find Naruto already there with Iruka.

"Hey Kiba," he says with a grin.

Kiba nods and releases me. "Have fun," he says, and plants a kiss on my forehead. "And stay safe. I'm putting Naruto in charge of you,"

"Yeah," I chuckle. "I don't think you should do that,"

"Hey," Naruto protests.

"Alright kid, let go," Ryuji says. He waves goodbye to me before heading back to his cabin, hands tucked deep in his pockets. I sigh and follow Naruto into the heated gym, sighing in content at the warmth. Iruka and Ryuji shut the doors and leave us to our work.

"So I heard about Chiaki," Naruto starts.

"Yeah," I say softly.

Naruto wraps his arms around me, his tattooed cheek rubbing against mine. "I'm so sorry. That must be really hard,"

I nod my head. "I…" tears start to escape my eyelids. "I somewhat blame myself."

Naruto squeezes me tighter. "Don't be silly," he says. "It couldn't possibly be your fault. Now come on," he releases me. "Let's get to work,"

I nod in agreement, wiping at my eyes. "I'll take this side," I mutter, and grab a broom even though there's no more soot on the floor. Naruto takes the other side of the gym and starts to untangle molten wires, humming the tune to _pumped up kicks. _

I begin to hum with him, quietly though, so he can't hear me. And then I pause, leaning forward at the piece of folded paper before me. It was lying unnaturally on the bleachers, as if someone had set it there. I set the broom aside and reach for it, taking a seat.

_Dear Hinata Hyuga,_

_A deer in the headlights_

_A sobbing mess_

_It never fights_

_But it receives a kiss_

_Or shall I say a kiss of death?_

_If you'd ever like to see your sweet-lipped friend again then meet me in the woods tonight at midnight._

_Yours truly, _

_Ketsu_

My heart stutters. There were so many things wrong with this note.

First, he knew my name. _First and last._

Secondly, he had Chiaki.

Third, this was Ketsu.

**A/N: **So I hope this made up for the terrible last chapter? I hope you also really enjoyed this because I'm having fun writing this tragedy for you guys! Haha, comment please! And check out my profile for more stories/upcoming stories ;D


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty Three

**A/N: **Hi guys :) Listening to _everybody plays the fool sometimes. _Haha, it may be old but it makes me feel good. So on that beautiful note, let's get started.

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

"I'm so hungry," Ino whines as she curls herself in a ball on the floor. Tenten and Sakura nod in agreement, but I'm too busy with my thoughts to even consider food.

After I found that note this morning I'd been on total guard. First of all, I knew that Ketsu had Chiaki and I was extremely scared for her. And secondly, Ketsu left the note on the bleachers knowing I would find it. So how did he know I'd be there? He must be stalking me, which is why I was on guard.

But after out shift Iruka and Ryuji came to pick us up, bringing news that camp was on lockdown again. But this time the counselors would be bringing food to cabins since they thought we'd be on lockdown for longer than last time. But that did nothing to reassure me because the only thing I was thinking about was getting out of the cabin and rescuing Chiaki.

How was I supposed to escape with the cabin on lockdown though?

"Hinata," Sakura says, shaking me from my thoughts. I turn to her, eyebrows raised but gaze clouded and far off. "What are you thinking about?"

"Chiaki," I mumble absentmindedly.

Tenten scoots closer to me and drapes an arm over my shoulders. "I'm sorry, Hinata," she says. "This must be harder on you than anyone else. We know that you two were getting pretty attached pretty quickly,"

"Yeah," I say.

Tenten sighs. "But I miss Neji," then she turns to Sakura and Ino. "You lucky bitches never get separated."

Ino grins mockingly, Sakura blushing beside her.

I tune out again, wondering how on earth with all of the windows and doors bolted in, am I going to sneak out. I can't open them so there's no way out. Or is there?

I climb to my feet and head for the bathroom. "I gotta' use the bathroom," I say, and then close the door behind me. I can feel the tension in the room outside at my sudden statement, but I ignore it. How weird is it to have to use the bathroom?

But that's not why I came in.

My eyes scan the walls, looking for a window or opening to the outside world. I spot one right above the toilet, but of course it's one of those windows that cannot be opened unless you break the glass with something heavy. So unless I wanted to break the window and get in trouble then I would have to find some other way out. And besides, how would I fit through that thing anyway?

Suddenly I hear the sound of the front door unlocking and my breath catches in my throat. I open the door a crack and look through it, finding one of the counselors at our door with five trays of hot food. I open the door wider and step out, catching his attention.

"Oh, there's the fourth," he says. Then he looks around the room, bemused. "Where's the fifth one?"

Ino, Sakura, and Tenten all share a look, their gazes finding their way to me somehow, and then Tenten says, "She's the one missing,"

There's an awkward silence as the man looks at the floor in embarrassment. "Oh sorry," he says. Sakura jumps up to assure him that he's done nothing wrong, and I use that as my cover. As the four are distracted, I move discreetly towards the window, which is now unlocked, and open it a crack.

Glancing over my shoulder to make sure everyone is still distracted, and they are, I slip a tube of lip gloss in between the window and the sill, and then close it as tightly as possible. I twist around, my back to the window, and give a small chuckle. Everyone turns to me.

"It's fine," I assure him. "Can we have our food now, please?"

"Yeah," Ino agrees enthusiastically.

The man laughs too and then hands us each a tray. We thank him and then he heads for the door, glancing down at the tray in his hand. "I'll be sure to let the cafeteria know which cabin only has four," he says. And then he opens the door and leaves. We hear the click of the locks, and then Sakura, Ino, and Tenten begin to talk as they dig into their meals.

I turn back around to make sure the window is still open a crack and smile when I see that my plan worked. Tonight I would rescue Chiaki and get rid of Ketsu once and for all.

…

"Sometimes I just have to let it all out, you know?"

She could hear a voice. It was faint, but she could register the words if she strained her ears. He was talking about something-his feelings maybe. It took all of the strength in her to pry open her eyelids just a crack and gaze up at him.

It was dark but she could make out his silhouette. He was squatting beside her with his hands clasped over his bent knees, in a thinking position. He was mumbling more to himself than to her, she presumed. His gaze was far off, as if he didn't even know he was speaking aloud.

"I haven't been myself lately," he said. "I've been more or less tired than usual. It's hard to explain. And I'm sure you wouldn't understand anyways,"

She was sure now that he was talking to her, but he still thought she was asleep. So she had the advantage this time. Chiaki almost smiled to herself, but didn't chance it, even in the protection of the dark.

"Well you know, I'll tell you anyway since I've no one else to talk to. My daughter is gone; I killed her. Well, actually," he corrects himself, murmurs a curse before continuing. "I only hurt her. I left the rest up to Anko. She likes to play with them,"

Chiaki's breath hitched. Anko liked to…_play_ with them? What did that mean? And Anko was her counselor! I mean, sure she was odd at times but Chiaki trusted her, more or less. She couldn't believe that one of her trusted adults had been involved with this guy.

"Anyways, once she's done with whatever it is she does-don't ask me because I've no idea. We have a deal, normally. She plays with them and I kill them. But this time it was my daughter. I just… I don't know. Something inside me told me not to. I'm normally not like this." He shook his head, letting out an irritated breath.

"So I decided that she could do both jobs this time. But instead of just killing the damned girl she sets the building on fire! I mean, I know she's reckless and loves to mess around but setting it on fire! How discreet is that?"

He pauses, as if waiting for a reply, and then makes a choked sound, something between a sob and a laugh. "She's dead and, well, I've no one else. My wife is gone. She died in a fire. And then I have my son, Kohaku, but he's so young and, well…he's a boy," he shrugs. "No fun in that. I don't kill the boys.

"I mean, Anko does play with them, but why do you think I pick the girls anyways? Because they look like a good kill?" he laughs, almost miserably. "No, I pick them because they're pretty. I like to have some fun, too. But the kill-that's my game." He turns to Chiaki, and her eyes flutter closed as quickly as a rabbit escaping a tremor in the earth. She waited a painful minute to decide whether he saw her or not, but then he continued.

"You're pretty too, don't get me wrong," he continued. "But that's not why I took you. Do you want to hear my plan?"

Chiaki didn't move, didn't breathe.

"Well I'll tell you, but only because I know this will hurt you more than her. Or should I say Hinata?"

Her eyes widened.

"Hah," he shouted, and then rose to his feet. There was the sound of something thump, and then a curse. "You," he said angrily. Chiaki didn't even try to hide the fact that she was awake any longer, she only stared up at him with the same deer-in-the-headlights expression. It softened him. He let out a quick breath. "You were awake. I'm surprised you were able to trick me that way. So? What did you think?"

He was not only asking her directly but was expecting an answer this time. Chiaki swallowed the lump in her throat but try as she might, she couldn't bring herself to answer. He snarled. "You pathetic wench," he hissed. "I'll show you. Just wait until she gets here. I'll not only kill her but I'll rape her and play around with her sprinkles."

Sprinkles? Did he mean her boobs?

"Just wait. She's coming tonight," and with that, he was gone and Chiaki was left in a dark silence, fearing for her friend.

…

I open my eyes just a peek and find that the lights are off and everyone is in bed. There's a nightlight beside Tenten's bed, plugged into the outlet that was both oddly and conveniently high enough to reach the top bunk, since she was afraid of the dark.

I turn to Ino first and find she's fast asleep. Her lips are parted in an "o" and her bangs sway with each breath she takes. Sakura is next, and she's clutching her pillow, and thin trail of saliva running down her chin. I crawl out of bed and take a peek at Tenten who's asleep also, curled up into a ball with both hands tucked in between her legs.

I let out a quiet breath through my nose and take to the closet. Grabbing a sweatshirt, I throw it over my nightgown which consists of bowers and a tank top, and then pull on some shorts. Taking one last look behind me, I silently tell my friends goodbye in case I don't make it back, and slip on my converse.

Then I open the window and climb out, a relieved breath escaping my lips when I know that my plan did, in fact, work. I remember to leave the tube of gloss there so I can climb back in, choosing to be optimistic about my fate.

And then I start for the woods.

…

Kiba couldn't sleep that night. Ever since they'd been put back on lockdown, he hadn't been able to see Hinata. And that was the stupid thing. He should be there with her. She was devastated and she needed him, not to mention there was a crazed killer after every girl in this camp.

And what was worse was that once Naruto had gotten back from his shift, he'd told Kiba some disturbing news. Hinata had been, according to Naruto, acting odd. He'd seen her slip something into her pocket that morning as she was cleaning, and then after that she'd been scatterbrained and looked somewhat afraid. He'd even recalled her mumbling to herself.

Something was definitely up, and even though Kiba didn't expect Hinata to tell Naruto what was going on, he did expect her to tell him. But they were on lockdown and couldn't see each other. Or could they?

There was a window in their bathroom that didn't have a lock on it, and looked just big enough for Kiba to climb through. He slipped out of bed as quietly as possible, his feet whispering across the floor as he made his way to the bathroom.

Once inside he checked the window and grinned. It was wide enough for him to slip through and it also had an old-fashioned latch that he could open it with. So he climbed onto the toilet and undid the latch slowly, carefully, in case the alarm did actually go off.

When nothing happened though, Kiba breathed a sigh of relief and started through the window. Just as he was climbing through, he heard the doorknob jiggle and his heart leaped out of his throat. Kiba was still leaning halfway out of the window and halfway in when Naruto took a seat on the toilet and began his long process.

The boy hadn't even turned the lights on, which Kiba was thankful for. His legs hung above the blond's head, and as he leaned it back in satisfaction, Kiba lifted his legs higher in the air. Sounds that Kiba would rather not have heard filled his ears and he fought with himself not to neither laugh nor gag.

Finally, the boy lifted himself from the seat, humming to himself, and zipped up his pants. And then he exited the room, back to bed. Kiba gaped, disgusted. "He didn't even wash his hand!" he whispered loudly to himself. And then without another thought he slipped the rest of the way out and landed in a rather rough spot of grass.

And then he was off, jogging towards Hinata's cabin. When he got there and peered inside the window though, he was both surprise and worried when he found her not in her bed. _Relax,_ he thought, _she's probably just in the bathroom… I hope _she _washes her hands… Ugg…_

But after a moment of waiting, Kiba's patience began to thin. He was just about to break down the door when he noticed the tube of gloss between the window and sill. His eyes widened as anger took control of him.

She's snuck out.

To look for Chiaki, no doubt.

But what did that mean? Did it mean she'd sensed her aura? Was Chiaki dead?

Kiba had decided to open the window and take a look inside the cabin when he heard a rustle in the bushes near the woods. As he turned his head he caught a glimpse of Hinata's bluish black hair in the moonlight. His heart skipped a beat as he raced towards her, slipping out his phone and using it as a light.

But by the time he got there, she was already gone.

…

"Shit," I mumble to myself as I scan the forest. I didn't know where to meet him, and whenever you don't know where you are or where you're going, you're screwed. And that meant that he had the advantage. But he'd always had the advantage.

Shouldn't I have the advantage, though? I mean, I am the one with the "gift."

I took out my phone to use it as a light and then shone it at the trees surrounding me. There were no silhouettes and no faces. I was still alone. But I could feel someone's eyes on me, and the intensity to leave grew deeper and deeper.

And then I heard a twig snap.

I gasp, twirling around to face the intruder. And then my heart stops when I see him, face to face, and he looks just as enticing as he sounds. My knees begin to shake, and I have to keep reminding myself that he's a killer, not a model, and he will take me if I don't keep my feet planted firmly on the ground.

"Nice of you to meet me here," he says.

The voice. It was so smooth.

"I almost doubted you'd come. But then again, that flower of a girl-she's too much to give up, huh? I wouldn't have left her hanging." He laughs. "Hanging…get it?"

"You hung her?" my voice comes out so hoarse that I sound like Kristen Stewart, but I don't care.

"No, no," he laughs again. "It's just a joke between us…how do I put it? Killers? No, no, that's much too harsh-sounding,"

"Where is she?" I demand. My voice is trembling as badly as my knees.

I hear another branch snap from behind me, and just as I turn to look over my shoulder Ketsu grabs me by the wrist and using something heavy, he knocks me out.

…

"You're both so beautiful," he murmurs lovingly, sensually.

I open my eyes at the sound of his voice, and it's so husky that it burns a fire deep in my stomach. And I'm ashamed that I'm even turned on by it when in my mind, I'm completely disgusted.

I hear someone squeak beside me, almost like a cry, and I turn. Tears begin to fill my eyes, along with panic, when I see Chiaki. She's bound with ropes, a gag placed in her mouth, and she's wearing only a bra and her shorts.

And then I look down at myself and my chest begins to ache with loathe for the man before me. Both my shirt and bra are gone, replaced with a thin layer of icing, and he'd pulled my shorts off too. Chiaki's screams are muffled but I hear them loud and clear, and not only do they reach my ears but also my heart.

I open my mouth, try to assure her that I'll get us both out of here, but I have a gag in my mouth as well. The taste of icing fills my mouth, but there's an odd tang to it. I wrinkle mo nose in disgust as realization hits me. Blood.

"But who's more beautiful?" he says, drawing my attention back to him.

He smiles down at me.

"You, of course, my little doll face," he pinches my cheek, and then trails a finger down my stomach and licks the icing off of his fingers. My skin prickles, as if there were a bunch of spiders crawling all over me.

"I only used her as bait, so why wouldn't I choose you as the prettiest?" and then he frowns. "Before we get started, I should tell you the story." He sits up while raking a hand through his hair. "I'll start from the beginning.

"Three years ago, before that, even, I had a nice life. I had a wife and a daughter who both loved me unconditionally, and I loved them. We had a nice house-I was a vet and brought in a bunch of money. Sometimes, thinking back, I wonder if my wife only loved me for my money. But that's not the point.

"I had a house call one day and left that afternoon to check on a dog that was having an asthma attack. But when I arrived home I found it in ruins."

My mind draws a blank. I thought he was the one who set the fire…

"Someone had set it on fire. My daughter and wife were both killed. My wife, I mourned for her for a long time, years. But my daughter…? I've mourned her death even to this second. I'll mourn her death until the day I die." He let out a breathy sigh.

"We were very close, my daughter and I. We were always together; at the beach building sand castles-she didn't like the water-or in the backyard playing DS hide-and-seek. We were a team; we were best friends."

Something told me that they were a little more than friends, but I kept the thought tucked into the recesses of my mind.

"After their death I met Anko. She was wonderful, don't get me wrong, but she wasn't enough. Not only that, but she was also…bisexual. She and I shared many things in common. We both liked each other, yes, and we both liked teenage girls.

"She bought me a really nice coat, said I could use it as a "mourning coat", to wear when I visit the ashes of my old house on its anniversary. I thought it sweet. So I complied and wore it every time I visited the house. But then odd things started happening to me.

"I was having time lapses. One minute I'd be on my computer checking my mail and the next I'd be beside a dead girl with Anko beside me, giving me encouraging smiles. I decided I was fine, never once thought myself insane, and coped with it. Things began to get weirder, though. Anko asked for a share in what I did. I had no idea I was doing it until she revealed it to me. And then my memory got better. I could remember where I'd been and what I'd done. I agreed and let her have a share in my works.

"So that's really it. Oh, except for the plan! I never told you about the plan, did I?" he pauses. "Should I…?" and then he laughs, and odd, scary laugh. "I'll tell you anyway. Anko and I had been doing this many times but then she thought up this ingenious plan. She'd gotten a job here, and so we'd decided that we'd murder one girl a year, using this camp as our cover and our resource.

"And so we've been doing this. But this year…this year was different. I picked Ohana-"

Chiaki lets out a muffled cry. He ignores her.

"-as my one girl. But then Natsuko got in the way and we figured since we'd already went over the limit we'd set, why not keep it coming? So we did. Or, we are. No, we aren't. I _am_, only me. And you, my angel," he pinches my cheek once more. "Are my third Camp Sacrifice." He turns to Chiaki. "And you, my shining star, will be the fourth."

**A/N: **I hope that clears things up :) But not all of it. There's still a lot more to reveal! Sorry about not posting yesterday. My dad blocked this site and so I can only get on Fanfiction by using this one link from my history. All of the other links, though, don't work. And I can't get on Deviantart either, so fuck -_- Anyway, comment please! :D


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty Four

**A/N: **Sorry to keep you guys waiting. As you know I have gym, and I also have summer homework and pet-sitting. So I've spent all of today drawing a Greek Sphinx for my English teacher, and I'd like to put it on Deviantart but it's blocked on my computer so… If you've been trying to contact me through there, don't bother.

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

Rainbow swirl…

Pistachio… Cherry Dream… Purple Cow…

There were so many to choose from but these three are what caught my attention. Pistachio gave me tummy aches-an accident for sure. Cherry Dream was nice but the sugar was a real killer. Purple Cow was good too, but if you had too much the sickness it gave you was so terrible it made you want to kill yourself.

Even with all of those terrible outcomes, I was still drawn to them for some odd reason. Almost as if they were my destiny somehow…

"Ma'am…?" the cashier shook me out of my thoughts, causing me to grin sheepishly. "Are you going to choose sometime soon? You don't have much time."

"Sorry," I say. "I just…I just can't choose,"

"Well you're lucky. Most people don't get to choose which flavor of fate they want." The cashier frowns at me. "I sure didn't,"

"Flavor of fate…?" I repeat. The cashier blows out a breath, obviously annoyed. "What do you mean? Where am I?"

"Here we go," she mutters. "You're standing in the Fate Flavor Shop. People come when it's their time to go but they never get a choice of which flavor they get. We hand them their flavor and once they've eaten it they're done for." She chuckles. "Almost like a poison. Anyway, you're one of the chosen ones or whatever." She rolls her eyes. "So you choose. So which do you want?"

"You mean… I'm going to die?" I ask.

"Yeah, big surprise, huh?"

Wait… something about these colors…

Green, red, and purple…? Accidental death, murder, and suicide… So this is why I see the auras? This…fake ice cream shop? But that doesn't even make sense.

"Are you asking me if I want to be killed on accident, by someone else's hands, or my own…?" I inquire.

"Yes,"

"Oh…um… I don't really want to. If that's okay…" I give her a small, hopeful smile to which her frown deepens.

"Look kid, you only have three more minutes. You'd better choose or else you're ending up with Cherry Dream,"

"No," I shout. "No, no, no! Give me a few more seconds… I, um…need to use the bathroom,"

"Over there," she says boredly while pointing towards a door in the corner of the shop. "And make it snappy,"

I head towards the door and step inside. It's plain white with nothing but a mirror and another door. I glance in the mirror for a second, surprised to find my forehead creased in a frown that I've only seen Tenten wear before. My eyes are glassy with tears.

"How could this happen?" I whisper.

My eyes trail down towards the rest of my body, and I gasp when I see that I'm wearing nothing but a bra and underwear and my whole torso is caked in blue icing. And then I remember that Chiaki and I are still in that awful smelling, cramped room with Ketsu.

That's probably where I'll eat my ice cream of fate…

I turn around and face the second door, curiosity getting the better of me. Why would there be a second door in a bathroom? I step closer and rest my hand on the knob. Buy suddenly the ground beneath me starts to quiver, and my heartbeat quickens.

"Oh no! I wasted my three minutes!" I shout.

The ground begins to crumble and when I look down I can see a pit of glossy fire. The cashier opens the first door just then, her eyes wide with shock. "Hey," she shouts. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Huh?" I shout back, confused. But then the ground beneath me gives in and I start to fall towards the flames.

"You can't cheat fate!" she calls after me.

"I'm not cheating i-ahhhhhh,"

My words die on my lips as a scream erupts from my throat and blasts them away. I close my eyes tightly, my hands grasping desperately at the searing hot air. As I near the ground though, the temperature starts to drop and my eyes go wide when my skin begins to crack. I glance down at my arm to find a thin sheet of frost glued to my skin, a giant crack tracing down from my wrist to my elbow.

What the…?

The air gets colder as I drop, a blue frost encasing my body, lips, and even my eyes balls. Snow dusts my eyelashes, blue sparkles adorn my fingernails, and my hair is shimmering, a mixture of gold, white, and blue.

Something snakes its way around my body, and suddenly I feel a burning sensation around my legs and back. I blink a few times, tears glazing over my eyes as new heat envelopes me. The sparkles that freckle my fingernails are shining gold and the crack along my arm is also lighting up, as if it were filled with lava.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk," I hear someone say. My head whips towards the sound of the voice and relief floods my mind when I see Natsuko with her arms crossed, balancing on a branch of fire. Ohana is beside her, waist deep in frosty, shimmering water.

"We warned you," Ohana said in a soft, sad voice.

"You shouldn't have been so careless," Natsuko added angrily. "Now look what's happened! You were supposed to put my dad in jail, not kill yourself." Her eyes fell to the floor. "Now he'll never be stopped."

"Natsuko," I interrupt. "Where am I?"

"Can't you tell?" Ohana asks. "You're in the same place we brought you the last time we spoke,"

"Yeah, and we didn't have to stab Kiba's eyes this time," Natsuko grins.

"No," I say while shaking my head. "It looks so much more different,"

Ohana and Natsuko share a look.

"Yeah," Ohana says. "It's been getting a lot more unbearable."

"What do you mean?" I inquire.

"She means if you don't put my dad behind bars then we'll be stuck here forever," Natsuko says. "And the degrees of pain get worse and worse."

"Yeah, I'm practically frozen on the inside," Ohana adds. "I can't even move,"

"And my skin is searing," Natsuko says.

"So that's why it's so…" I can't finish my sentence. "I'm sorry,"

"So back to business," Natsuko says. "We just saved your life. So now you need to pay us back by catching my father,"

"You just… wait, that was you guys?"

"You were about to choose your flavor, right?" Ohana asks. I nod my head. "We opened up the ground, delaying your sentence."

"We'll send you back to the real world so you can stop my father," Natsuko starts.

"Didn't he kill me yet?" I ask.

"No, you've still some time," Ohana says. "He knocked you out and you're bleeding pretty badly."

"Why'd he do that?" I shout angrily.

"You tried to fight him," Natsuko says quietly. "Something we all tried to do."

"And he did what he did to all of us. He knocked you out." Ohana says.

"So if I lose any more blood…?"

"Right," Ohana says.

"Crapola…"

Ohana and Natsuko both raise an eyebrow but don't bother questioning me. "We'll send you back so you still have a shot at living." Ohana continues.

"But how do I stop him?" I ask.

"Leave that to us," Natsuko says. "We've got a plan."

"Thank you," I say as a tear glides down my cheek. It begins to sizzle as if my cheek was a burning pan, and then it freezes.

"You're welcome," Ohana says.

"We'll send you back and you keep him stalled, okay? I know it's a lot to ask… but if you could keep him occupied for a while that would be great. We'll send someone for you guys."

"Is…is Chiaki okay?" I ask, my voice barely a whisper.

"She's knocked out too," Ohana says. "But from shock, not Natsuko's father. So she'll be alright, as long as we doesn't hurt her,"

"Natsuko," I say. Her eyes narrow on me and inside her orbs I can see the fire around her dancing. "Is your father…? I mean, are you his real daughter?"

"What? Of course I am," she says.

"No," I shake my head. "His wife and daughter were killed in a fire… His other daughter's name was Natsuko,"

Ohana turns to the brunette, wide eyed.

"You mean… I'm adopted?" she asks.

"I don't know," I say. "You may have been stolen, too. But I swear I'll find out, no matter what. I won't leave you-"

But before I can finish my sentence the frozen tear attached to my cheek breaks from my skin and plummets to the flames beneath. All three of us watch as one of the flames rises up like a tentacle of some sort and grips the tear, shattering it.

"Bye," she says.

And then the flame gripping my body pulls me down quickly, making my stomach rise into my throat as if I'm on a rollercoaster, and it pulls me down into the icy water. I close my mouth this time, prepared for the rush of blood, but there is none. The liquid around me is actual water this time, and it's so cold that when I open my eyes I can see tiny crystals dancing on the bridge of my nose.

I close my eyes, feeling lightheaded. And then I'm thrust out of unconsciousness.

…

Kiba glanced over another tree branch, peering through the darkness of the woods with only the dim light of his cell phone. A groan escaped his lips, the pressure and anxiety starting to eat at his mind. "I'll never find her," he muttered. "Maybe I should get her dad,"

Just as he was about to turn back, something appeared before him. "Aw fuck," Kiba cursed. "I'm starting to see things."

Before him stood a miniature school bus, its yellow paint glowing ominously. The side of it read, _follow me, Kiba._ He began to walk towards it, his mind reeling with curiosity. The bus engine started up and then it began to drive out of view. "No," Kiba called after it. "Wait,"

He began running after the vehicle, his eyes narrowing in pain as the luminescent light began to fracture his vision. The bus began to disappear into thin air; branches could be seen through the vehicle, as if it were a ghost. Kiba ran faster, branches snapping under his feet, the sound thundering through his head.

Finally, after running for at least fifteen minutes, the bus came to a screeching halt. Kiba dug his heels into the ground, his breathing becoming even more labored than before. The bus began to disappear before his very eyes, and in place of it stood a real bus. Kiba stepped up to it in awe, running a hand over the glossy metal.

"This is the bus we rode to camp in," he muttered. He eyes flickered to the doors. "Was that real just now? Did I just have a vision? Is this…where Hinata is?"

…

I open my eyes to the sound of someone chuckling softly in my ear. "You know," I hear him say. "I normally don't play around with my pray this much, but I think I like this a lot better than just disposing of them. Maybe Anko…isn't right for the job, huh? What do you think?"

I don't answer, but instead keep my lips shut tightly.

"I know you're awake, block head. I saw your eyes open." He says angrily.

I swallow the lump in my throat and answer in a shaky whisper. "I think… Anko is a terrible person,"

"Me too," he agrees with a sinister grin. "Maybe we should get rid of her. What do you think?"

"We?" I say.

"Oh, would you like to help?" he asks. "I guess I could spare you for a while longer. Hey, yeah… I could have you kill Anko, so that way I won't be caught. Then I'll have the girls all to myself,"

"I, um…" my eyes dart towards Chiaki. Her eyes are closed but she's breathing.

Okay, I just have to keep him occupied until whoever Natsuko sent for me gets here. What do I say? If I refuse he'll get angry… If I don't…

"You what?" he spits. "Come on! Out with it,"

"I…I'll do anything you want," I say. "But can I please have some water?"

I lick my lips to add emphasis to my need and find they are, in fact, extremely dry. He ponders this, his eyes narrowing, and then grunts. "Sure thing. Coming right up,"

He leaves, a bright light following after him. And then he shuts the door and it's dark again. "Chiaki," I whisper while wiggling. I'm still bound in ropes and the icing has dried. It actually wasn't too bad of an idea…the icing, I mean. I could have done that with Kiba…

"Chiaki," I say again as I shake the thought out of my head. I scoot closer to her and bump her hip with mine. She scrunches up her nose in response to my touch, so I try again. This time her eyes open, but only halfway. "Chiaki," I say in relief. "Don't worry. Someone's on their way to get us,"

"What?" she murmurs groggily. "How do you know that?"

I wrack my brain for a plausible excuse, one that will convince her for sure and raise her spirits. "Kiba…Kiba called me," I say. "Just now while Ketsu was gone. He said he found us and was on his way,"

"Really?" the ghost of a smile appears on her face. "That's…good," her eyes flutter closed again. "It's weird," she says.

"What is?"

"I had this really odd dream… I was in an ice cream shop and I was about to have some pistachio ice cream when you woke me up…"

My heart stutters for a moment too long. She'd been in the ice cream shop too? But why was she going to have pistachio? Accidental death… could she have died from shock?

"Chiaki," I breathe as tears begin to flood my vision. "Chiaki, hold my hand and promise me you won't fall asleep again,"

"Why?" she asks, but outstretches her hand nonetheless.

"Because… I don't want you to leave me alone again," I say. And it's not totally a lie... "I know it's selfish, but-"

She cuts me off by grasping my hand in hers, a real smile gracing her lips. "I was the selfish one," she says. "I left you alone. That was definitely selfish. I'm sorry, Hinata,"

I sniff up my tears and let out a breath. Maybe we'd surprise this, after all. And right on cue, the doors open again and Ketsu steps in with a glass of water. "Oh," he says. "You're awake too. Well," he glances down at the glass in his hand. "I guess you two can share this,"

He thrusts the glass to my lips and I drink, choking every few seconds and sputtering water in his face. Then he brings the glass to Chiaki's lips. She pauses, unsure, but I squeeze her hand and her mouth opens, as if I'd pressed a button.

"Good job," he says softly. "You know… You guys aren't too bad. Maybe I should just keep you… as pets or something," he scratches the back of his neck. "You guys could… help me out, you know?"

"Yeah," I say with fake eagerness. "We could work for you,"

Chiaki stiffens beside me, and suddenly my plan begins to slip through my fingers. She releases my hand and sits up. "Never," she spits. "We'll never work for you. You're a sick, nasty man and we've got someone on their way for us right now,"

My eyes widen at her words, and I turn to face her just as Ketsu strikes her across the face. She falls back, her head landing with a thud on the metal surface beneath us. "Hey," I shout. "Don't you dare touch her!"

Ketsu turns to me, lifting a hand to strike me as well, when the door opens behind him and light floods the room. I peer through the blinding light, my breath catching my throat at the glorious figure before us.

"Touch her and I'll kill you,"

…

Kiba lifted a hand to the bus doors and began to pry them open. "Damn," he cursed. "How do you open these things?" Suddenly, a figure appeared from inside the bus and Kiba ducked. "That must be him…" he narrowed his gaze at the man inside.

Good looking… Dammit, Hinata had better be dressed in there.

Kiba crouched on the gravel ground, his heart beating furiously as he thought out a plan. Picking up a rock in his hand, he chucked it at the front of the bus. Then he watched as the man paused, an empty glass in his hand, and looked up. He made his way towards the doors, pulled the handle, and walked to the front of the bus to inspect.

Kiba rushed inside, his mouth opening to call out Hinata's name when suddenly, he stopped. There was no sign of Hinata, no sign of anyone or anything. He swallowed, glancing over his shoulder to find the man coming back inside. Kiba crawled under one of the seats and held his breath as the man entered the bus. He peered under all of the seats, silently cursing when he came up with nothing.

Maybe I imagined all of this…

Just then the man walked out before him, a glass of water in his hand, and crouched down to Kiba's level. The man's back was facing him as he pulled on a latch and opened a trap door on the floor of the bus. Kiba's heart raced as he watched the man step down into the hidden cellar and close the trap door behind him.

"How do you fit a cellar down there?" Kiba whispered to himself. "It must be cramped…"

He crawled out from beneath the seat and crouched over the trap door. "Alright," he said while flipping out his cell phone. He dialed Hinata's father's number and then waited for him to pick up. "Mr. Hyuga? It's me, Kiba. Kai took Hinata, but don't worry. I found her. I need you to come to the bus garage."

Suddenly there was the sound of shouting from beneath the bus, and Kiba shut the cell phone, cutting Hiashi off. "Dammit," he cursed while unscrewing the latch. "I'm coming, Hinata. Stick it out until I get there,"

…

"Touch her and I'll kill you," Kiba says through gritted teeth. He shuts the door, using his cell phone to light the room. Ketsu narrows his gaze, his jaw clenching furiously.

"How did you find this place?" he demands.

"I had a little help," Kiba says. "From a ghost,"

She sent Kiba, I think to myself.

Ketsu chuckles as he rises to his feet. In the small space, all he can do is crouch though. "How dare you," Kiba growls. "How dare you do this to her!"

His eyes dart to me, anger flashes across them when he sees my state. I give him a small, reassuring smile but it doesn't seem to deliver. He turns back to Ketsu, his fists clenching. "I'll kill you,"

"Hah, try me," Ketsu shouts, and then flings himself at Kiba.

"NO!" I scream.

The two go hand to hand, throwing punches and kicks in as they fight, a routine that looks so practiced, so clean. I watch in awe as Kiba throws in some moves that blow me away; round houses, ax kicks, butterflies, and three sixties. Chiaki is crying beside, but I'm not sure if it's in relief or fear.

"Chiaki," I say. "We're saved. Stop crying,"

She shakes her head. "He's…he's got a knife," she whispers.

"He what?" I say, my eyes widening.

"I know," she says. "We need to help him,"

"I've got an idea," I say. "Can you untie me?"

"If I could do that, don't you think I would have done it a while ago?" she says sourly.

"You were unconscious. How could you have?" I shake my head. "Just try. Use your teeth to cut through the ropes,"

I twist around and thrust my wrists into her gut. "Ouch," she mutters. "This isn't a movie, Hinata. I don't know if it's going to work out that way,"

"Just try!" I shout.

She bites down on the ropes, her teeth scraping against my skin. I watch Kiba and Ketsu fight as Chiaki gnaws at the ropes binding my wrists. At least with those out of the way I could punch him, or even grab his knife. I'd have to worry about the other bindings later.

Chiaki bites my thumb, and I let out a screech. "Ouch,"

"Sorry," she says. "Done,"

The ropes fall from my wrists, and I bring them to my face, a smile gracing my lips. "Thanks, Chiaki," I say while rising to my feet. I start to take a step in Kiba's direction when I remember the ropes around my ankles. But before I can stop myself, I've fallen on my face. My chin hits the metal floor, and I hear crack.

"Hinata," Chiaki and Kiba shout simultaneously.

"Owwww," I groan.

"Watch out," Chiaki screams.

"Hinata!" Kiba shouts.

"What?" I look up in time to see Ketsu standing over me, knife in hand. "AHHHHH,"

I roll out of the way just as his knife pierces the spot I used to be lying in. "The hell? Why are you trying to kill me? I thought we had a deal?" I shout.

"What?" Ketsu's face goes blank. "You mean… you'd still…"

"Sure," I say while rising to my feet. "As long as you…Hyia!"

I twist around, punch a fist into my palm, and jab him right in the gut with my elbow. I hear the wind knock right out of him, and then he lands on the floor with a thud. Just then the trap door opens and inrush a bunch of officers.

"Damn you," Ketsu growls. And then he lifts the knife in the air and brings it down right on my foot.

A scream erupts from my throat as he pulls the knife out, a sickening smile stretching across his face. "Now we're even…Hinata," he says as three police officer pick him up and being him out the door.

"Hinata," Kiba says while lifting me up, bridal style. He plants kisses all along my jaw bone, eyelids, nose, and finally, my lips. "I was so worried. Are you okay? How's your foot?"

"Losing…a lot…of blood," I breathe.

"Oh, shit," he says. "Mr. Hyuga…!"

I blink slowly, letting Kiba's voice fill my ears. When I open my eyes, Kiba is staring down at me. But inside his amber orbs sit two girls, peaceful smiles on their faces. "Thanks, Hinata," Natsuko says. "I owe you big time. Find out about my family history for me, will ya'?"

I nod.

"Thank, Hinata. Tell Chiaki not to cry for me. And tell her I said goodbye,"

Tears fill my eyes as they wave goodbye, and I nod one final time. "Good bye," I whisper.

"Goodbye?" Kiba asks. "No, Hinata, no. You're not gonna' die. Just hang in there,"

I smile and press my forehead against his. "I love you, Kiba," I whisper. And then I close my eyes and surrender to the sweet sleep that's been tugging at my eyelids.

…

"Three days until the big concert. Are you sure you still want to be in it? You haven't gotten any practicing in at all," Kurenie says, unsure. And then her eyes dart towards my foot. "Plus, no offense, but you have a bandage on your foot. That wouldn't be very appealing…"

I laugh. "Of course I do. Kiba's my partner, right?" She gives me a hesitant twist of her lips. "We'll get it perfect. I promise,"

Kiba drapes an arm over my shoulders and kisses my temple. "I'll make sure she practices until her vocal chords give out," he adds with a grin.

"Alright," she says. "I guess you two can still be in the show. But work extra hard,"

"Thanks Kurenie," I say with a grin. "You won't be sorry!"

Kurenie exits the room with a small wave, her high heels clicking loudly against the tiled floor. Kiba turns to me then, a smile stretched across his face. "One thing to check off of the list," he says.

"Yup, now time for task number two," I say. "Let's go meet my dad at "headquarters","

"Bye Hinata! I'll see you at dinner," Chiaki calls after Kiba and me.

"Bye," I say with a grin. "Save me a seat,"

"I will,"

…

When we reach the familiar tent, Kiba opens the flap and we enter to find my father and Miroku seated in the two plastic chairs. They look up from their work when they see us come in, and a smile graces each of their faces.

"Hi," I say.

"Hey, sweetie," my dad says.

"How's that foot?" Miroku asks.

"Fine, I guess," I say with a shrug.

"So what's the news?" Kiba asks. "You have the background on him yet?"

"Yup," my dad says while rising from his seat. "Here's the scoop,"

Scoop…

"Kai was a man of gentle nature. But when his daughter and wife died he became…mental. He developed a disorder called schizophrenia, where you have multiple personalities. He got a job here as a bus driver so he and his partner, Anko, could go about their _tasks_. Kai had no idea what was going on. He only thought he was a bus driver who had a sweet girlfriend.

"But when Ketsu awoke, he and Anko would go about killing and raping girls. One of the girls he'd picked out was Natsuko. He found her someplace, he says he can't remember where, and just as he was about to rape her, Kai came back. He saw the girl and immediately thought of his old daughter."

My father pulled out a photo and handed it to me. "Is this…?"

"His old daughter," my father finishes.

"She looks just like Natsuko," Kiba says in awe.

"Yes, quite a resemblance," my father says while taking the photo back and slipping it into the manila folder in his hand. "Anyways, he took her in, named her Natsuko, and then adopted Kohaku, her brother."

"So… Ketsu and Kai are the same person?" I say, shocked.

"Yes,"

"So who set the fire?" Kiba inquires.

"It was Anko," I say.

"What?" Miroku, my father, and Kiba say in unison.

"He told me… Anko killed his family… He just didn't know it,"

It was silent, except for the shuffling outside of the tent. I turn on my heel, my arms folding across my chest. "Where are you going?" Kiba asks.

"I have to speak with someone," I say.

…

I had decided that I would visit both Natsuko and Ohana, to say one final goodbye, now that I knew the whole story, and to give them a passing gift. But when I reach the river, my breath hitches. A layer of snow peppers the surface of the water, the rocks have a glassy sheen to them, and the fish beneath the surface are frozen in place. All around the river, summer springs to life.

Green grass rises up to my ankles, stones covered in moss and slugs adorn the ground, and trees are bursting with life. The blue and white of the water contrast so beautifully beside the greens and golds of the forest that it makes my knees shake.

"Ohana," I say. Tears begin to fill my eyes, and I wipe them away with my arm. "I came to give you a present, but instead you gave me one." I kneel beside the river and dip my finger into the icy water. It's pulsating, as if someone's heart was beating through it. I pull my finger out, a small smile gracing my lips.

And then I pull out my gift to her: an opal charm, for April, her birthday. Then I drop it into the water and make a prayer. "Rest in peace, Ohana," I whisper. And when I open my eyes, all of the frost and snow is gone. The water is a shimmering blue, the rocks are grainy and caked with dirt, and the fish are swimming around in circles.

And my stone is gone.

A soft wind sifts through my hair, a thank you. "You're welcome," I say, and then rise to my feet.

…

I reach the gym and prepare myself for whatever awaits me. Hopefully no fiery spines of heat will welcome me. I hold my breath, open the doors, and let out a gasp. Naruto stands in the center of the gym on the very top of a ladder, reaching up to complete the finishing touches of a banner he's hung.

"Naruto," I breathe, stunned. "You finished the gym…? Without me?"

"Yeah," he grins while stepping down from the ladder. "Hey, how's your foot?"

I smile.

"Fine," I say. I worry the sleeve of my jacket while glancing at Naruto nervously. "Hey, could you give me a moment alone in here?" I ask.

"Uh, sure," he says.

"Thanks. It'll only take a second,"

Naruto exits the gym with a sigh of relief, and then a chuckle as he mutters to himself about how great a job he did. I roll my eyes and make my way towards the center of the room. "Hi, Natsuko," I say. "I've figured it out. Your father had schizophrenia… One side of him was good and the other was bad. Oh, and you aren't his real daughter. He stole you,"

I let out a sigh. "Well, there you go. The truth,"

I hold my breath, waiting for some great surprise, like Ohana had given me, but nothing comes. I let out a breath. "Oh, I see how it is," I say sourly. "Oh well. I brought you a present." I glance around the room. "Where should I put it?"

I see the fountain in the center of the room and take a seat on the edge. "Okay," I say. "Here you go. Amethyst, for February… I hope you like it," And then I let it drop into the water. Just as it meets the surface, the water evaporates, turning into a fiery, red fog.

I let out a surprised breath as the heat pats my cheeks. In the center of the fountain, a burst of fire rises, spiraling like a lock of curly red hair. I smile in amazement as the tinkling of Natsuko's laugh rings in my ears.

"Natsuko," I whisper. "Are you happy? I can't tell," and then I laugh. "Maybe, I suppose, you are,"

Suddenly, the doors open from behind me and in walks Kiba. I turn back around, both surprised and disappointed to find the fiery show gone, along with the stone. "Bye," I whisper. And then I get up to meet Kiba halfway across the gym.

"Wow," he says. "It looks great in here," and then his eyes lock with mine. "I've been looking all over for you. Where have you been?"

"Just giving Ohana and Natsuko parting gifts," I say. He quirks an eyebrow but doesn't say anything. He lifts a hand to my cheek, his eyes going wide.

"Ow, shit," he says. "You're freaking burning,"

I laugh. "Oh," I say. "I guess it's just this jacket…"

"Well, take it off," Kiba says with a hint of seduction in his voice. And then his eyebrows furrow and he leans closer.

"Kiba," I whisper, a blush dusting my cheeks. "Not here-"

"Is that… a snowflake on your eyelash?" he inquires, cutting me off.

My face falls. "Way to ruin the mood," I mutter.

"What mood?" he asks innocently.

"Shut up," I laugh while slapping his chest.

Kiba grabs my wrist and pulls me into him, his arms wrapping around me. "I can't believe that bastard did those things to you," he whispers in my ear. His hot breath crawls along my skin, making me shiver. "When I saw you in only your bra and underwear…and covered in icing…" he shakes his head and pulls me closer.

"Yeah," I say. "But don't worry. He didn't do much… I don't think,"

"But he took off your clothes," Kiba argues.

"Maybe…" I bite my lip. "Maybe it would make me feel better if _you_ were the one to do that,"

"Not now," Kiba whispers. "How about we wait… until after the concert,"

"What about the night of the dance?" I ask hopefully.

Kiba laughs. "Sure," he says, and kisses the top of my head.

Just then Naruto opens the door and steps in. "Hey guys," he says. "I'd hate to ruin the moment but I'd really like to finish this so I can go eat dinner,"

"No, Naruto," I say. "Kiba and I will finish up here."

"We will?" Kiba asks.

"Go have fun with Sasuke," I say with a laugh. Kiba smiles too, waving him away.

"Thanks, Hinata," Naruto calls over his shoulder as he exits the gym. He peeks his head back in a second later though, a frown on his face. "But no doing it in here. I don't want to clean _that _up,"

"GO!" Kiba and I shout simultaneously. Naruto rushes out snickering, leaving Kiba and I with the rest of the decorations to put up.

I turn back towards the fountain and smile down at my reflection. Kiba comes up beside me and wraps an arm around my shoulders. Suddenly the water begins to quiver and Kiba's face morphs into Natsuko's. My eyes widen.

"Thanks, Hinata," she says with a smile. "For freeing both my soul and my mind,"

I smile even wider. "You're welcome," I whisper. And then she waves goodbye and Kiba's questioning gaze is staring back at me through the water. I turn to Kiba and wrap my arms around his neck.

"I think that's my line," he says with a chuckle.

I laugh too, and bury my cheek deeper into his collar bone.

"Yeah," I say. "Thank you,"

"You're so weird," he says. "But you're welcome,"

**A/N: **Hope you guys enjoyed that! This is not the last chapter guys, because I still have to write the dance and the concert so yeah… Comment! 


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter Twenty Five

**A/N: ** Hi guys :) I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter! So I'm kind of pumped because I like this guy from my church… but also I'm extremely upset because we have our first semester exam for summer gym class tomorrow, and we're being tested on things we've never played, let alone heard of. Who knows what pickle ball is? Seriously -_-

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

"Oh my gosh," Chiaki shouts as she enters the room, a box the size of a baby cow in her hands. Everyone looks up from their conversations, curiosity written on their faces. "We've gotten our orders! Someone help me carry in the rest of the boxes!"

Lee and Sasuke follow Chiaki out the door to help carry in the supplies, leaving Naomi and I in an awkward silence. "Box_es_? How many boxes do you need for rolls of tape?"

I shrug and cross the room to help open the boxes with Chiaki. She's kneeling on the floor, an excited smile plastered to her face. I kneel down beside her, scissors in hand. "Wow," I say as I hand her the scissors. "I haven't seen you this excited since…"

Chiaki glances up at me, her smile never faltering. "These rolls of tape…are sort of like presents from Ohana," she says.

I purse my lips, thinking of Ohana's real gift. And then I feel bad for being so selfish and not sharing Ohana's winter wonderland with Chiaki. But the girl before me doesn't look nearly as depressed as she had that night. In fact, she'd progressed so much that by looking at her you wouldn't have even known she was depressed before.

Her dark eyes return to her work, and as she lifts open the flaps of the box her smile grows wider and her eyes begin to shine. Her hands rifle through the contents, pulling out rolls of black, silver, sparkly blues and pinks, and gold. "Wow," she breathes. "Which one will I make my dress with?"

"Well that depends which shoes you pick," I say with a laugh. "I wonder which department had the honor of picking out the shoes," Chiaki lifts her eyes from the rolls of tape in her hands and her face turns sallow, suddenly. "What?" I ask, brows furrowed.

Chiaki turns to Sasuke and Lee who look just as pale. Naomi snorts from behind me, her fingers snaking around her ringlets as she says, "That was our job, morons. We were the fashion department, remember? We were in charge of clothes and accessories, and if you haven't noticed, shoes do count as accessories," she shrugs. "Or clothes-whichever."

"So then," I say, turning back to Chiaki. "Who forgot to order the shoes?"

Chiaki opens her mouth to speak when Sasuke interrupts her. "That would be me," he says. Everyone turns to him in awe. "Yeah, I mean, you three were all in horror-land. Naomi and I were the only ones available, and I admit, I didn't really care,"

Of course, Naomi…

"It's okay," I say as I rise to my feet. "We can all wear converse, or whatever we brought with us,"

"Yeah," Chiaki agrees, brightening up a bit. "I mean, people where converse with dresses all the time, and it looks totally adorable,"

"So there. No probs," I say with a grin.

Kiba appears at the door suddenly, his pointer finger tapping his wrist. "Oh yeah," I mumble. "I have to go. Duty calls,"

"Bye, Hinata," Chiaki and Lee say simultaneously. Sasuke gives me a curt nod of his head, and Naomi, well, ignores me. I wave while jumping down the "flight" of stairs to catch up with Kiba who's already started walking towards the gym.

"Did they say we could practice in the gym?" I inquire while grabbing a hold of his hand. Kiba shrugs as a small smile creeps onto his face.

"Who cares? What's important is that you get some practice in. You don't wanna' sound bad in front of everyone,"

"Right," I say as we reach the gym. Kiba holds the door out for me and then follows me in. "Wow, it looks great in here," I say.

"Well yeah, you had me helping," Kiba says haughtily. I jab him in the side with a grin.

"So anyways, are we still doing the threesome?" I ask.

"Nah," Kiba says while taking a seat on the bleachers. "Our third little birdie broke her leg,"

"Oh my gosh," I gasp. "Is she okay?"

"Yeah, she'll be fine." He shrugs. "She's just too lazy to go on stage so she pretended that it was worse than it really was. Either that or she was doing us a favor," Kiba winks.

"Whatever," I say with a laugh. "So which song are we doing?"

"Which song were you and Natsuko going to sing?" Kiba inquires while brushing off his pants and standing up.

"Total Eclipse of the Heart," I say. "By Bonnie Tyler… It's sort of romantic,"

"Well then that's perfect," Kiba says with a grin. "Let me just look up the lyrics on my phone,"

He taps the screen a few times and then the song begins to play. He offers me the phone but I refuse. "I already memorized the lyrics," I say. "So you sing the guy's part and I'll sing Bonnie's,"

"Okay,"

The intro began to play, a soft piano solo. "Turn around," Kiba sings.

"Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you never come around," I sing.

"Turn around,"

"Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears,"

"Turn around,"

"Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by,"

"Turn around,"

"Every now and then I get a little bit terrified but then I see the look in your eyes,"

"Turn around, bright eyes,"

"Oh, every now and then I fall apart,"

"Turn around bright eyes,"

"Every now and then I fall apaaaaaaaart! And I need you now tonight!" I step closer to Kiba and grab his hand in mine. "And I need you more than ever! And if you'll only hold me tight, then we'll be holding on forever." Kiba spins me around, and I smile. "And we'll only be making it right, because we'll never be wrong together-we can make it to the end of the line. Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time,"

I stop, signaling for Kiba to turn the music off. Kiba watches me with a confused expression as I try to catch my breath. "I have… a lot to sing, and all you have to say is "turn around." That doesn't seem very fair for you,"

Kiba shrugs. "So what?"

"So I'll look like a lyric hog," I say. Kiba grins at my antics, but I ignore it. "I want you to sing some more,"

"Okay," he says, and takes a seat on the bleachers again. "So let's sort through the lyrics and make up a script,"

I know he's only saying it to make me change my mind because, really, who wants to sort through lyrics and assign parts? But I just cross my arms and take a seat beside him. "Fine," I say. "So which parts don't sound too girly?"

…

I wake up to the sound of someone screaming in my ear. Okay, well maybe not in my ear but it's pretty damn close for how loud they're screaming. I sit up in my bed begrudgingly, a glare adorning my features. Ino and Tenten are going at it, screaming and hollering and throwing…tape?

"Woah," I say, glare disappearing and worry creasing my face. "What's going on? Where did you get that tape?"

Tenten and Ino don't even bother to stop screaming. Tenten points to a box in the far right corner of our cabin just as Ino chucks another roll of tape at the brunette's head. Tenten catches it in her left hand and throws it right back, hitting Ino in the nose. "Ouch!" the blond shouts.

"Guys," I shout again. "Stop! That's for our dresses!"

Ino throws another roll of tape Tenten's way, but I intervene and catch it in mid air. "STOP," I shout again. Tenten and Ino stare at me, frowns on their faces. "Guys," I say. "How did that box get here?"

"Someone delivered it to our cabin, like, an hour ago," Ino says grumpily. "Why?"

I groan. "This is for our dresses," I explain. "We're making our dresses out of tape. This is the only material we're getting, so stop screwing around,"

Ino rolls her eyes. "This is so stupid! We have to wear tape? What are we in? The nineteenth century?"

Tenten and I facepalm.

"It's going to be fun," I say while setting the rolls of tape that are scattered around the floor back into the box. "So why were you two fighting anyways?"

Ino and Tenten give each other sour looks, and then Tenten says, "Ino was being a snot. She told me that she saw a dead cat outside our cabin," she begins to tear up but quickly wipes away any signs of sadness. Her face turns hard. "She's a lousy bitch," she sneers.

"You're the bitch," Ino hollers. "That's what you get for letting Neji use my bath towel!"

"Yeah?" Tenten shouts back. "Well you'll NEVER BE A BESTO FRIENDO!"

"Guys," I say, raising my voice. "Stop it. Tenten, don't let Neji use Ino's bath towel," I pause. "In fact, don't let him shower here. And Ino," I turn to the blond who's scrunched up her nose and has her arms crossed over her chest. "Leave Tenten and her bestos alone,"

"Whatever," Ino scoffs. "Bestos aren't even real,"

"What did you just say?" Tenten says through gritted teeth.

"Guys," I groan.

"I said, bestos aren't even real,"

"And you'd know? You aren't one!" Tenten retorts angrily. "I founded the bestos so therefore, they are real,"

Ino rolls her eyes. "Anything founded by you has got to be a-"

"Enough," Sakura shouts from her bed. "I'm so sick of listening to you two fight! I want to look good for the play we have to put on tonight!"

I swallow. "Oh yeah," I say. "I almost forgot that the concert was tonight… everyone's gonna's be here…watching,"

"Don't tell me you have stage fright," Sakura says.

"I…well, I am pretty shy," I say.

"You've seemed to grow out of since you've been here," Ino says. "Maybe it won't be so bad,"

"Yeah, and maybe the audience won't throw rotten tomatoes at you tonight," Tenten says to Ino.

"What the…? Why you-"

"Hi guys,"

The bathroom door opens and Chiaki steps out, a cloud of fog following close behind. Her dark ringlets are tighter than usual, tiny droplets of water clinging to them, and she's wearing a white bath robe. "Nice bath robe," Sakura comments. Ino sticks up her nose indignantly. "Where'd you get it?"

Chiaki shrugs. "I don't know. I found it in there. So anyways," she takes a seat on her bed and crosses her legs. "Who's ready for tonight?"

"Not me," I mutter.

"I am," Tenten chimes in. "Me, Sasuke, Naruto, and Neji are performing a song together,"

"Cool, what song?" Sakura asks.

"That's a secret, darling. But I can tell you one thing for sure… I'll be singing along to it," Tenten says with a grin.

"You sing?" Chiaki asks.

"Oh yeah," I say. "She's really good. She's likes to play instruments more, though."

"And Naruto will be singing, too," Tenten adds.

"Well Sakura, me, and our whole cast will be putting on an awesome play," Ino says.

"Which one?" I ask.

"It's a secret," Ino says with a smirk.

"It's a shorter version of the hunger games," Sakura says.

"Sakura!" Ino whines. "It was supposed to be a surprise,"

"But it's in the directory," Sakura says quietly as she holds up a pamphlet.

Tenten smirks.

"Anyways," I say. "Everyone brought a dress for the concert, right?"

"Yup," the say in unison.

"Awesome," I grin. "Let's get breakfast, and then we can get ready!"

…

_Ino's Dress Diary: _She wore white shorts with a dark purple blouse and black boots. Her hair was tied up in a bun with her bangs whipped to the side in a wavy manner. She wore black eyeliner and dark blue mascara, and a fake mole was placed just above her upper lip. Her weapon was a bow and arrow. She played the role of glimmer.

_Sakura's Dress Diary: _She wore tight, black leather pants with a black V-neck and ballet flats, black of course. Her normally choppy bubble gum hair was in ringlets today and she wore smoky grey eyeliner and black mascara. Her weapon of choice was the sling shot. She played the role of Rou.

_Tenten's Dress Diary: _She wore gray skinny jeans, a red V-neck with razor slashes all throughout, and red knee-high converse. Her hair was down in waves with a gray beanie over top. Her nails were a shimmering red and her lips gloss had a rosy tint. She wore brown eyeliner and black mascara.

_Hinata's Dress Diary: _She wore a purple, mid-thigh laced dress with dark purple heeled-boots. Her hair was down, straight as a stick, with braids framing her cheeks. Her bangs were swept to the side and she wore matching purple and black laced arm warmers. She had black eyeliner and blue mascara.

_Chiaki's Dress Diary: _She wore a sea foam green, shimmering dress that reached mid-thigh and then flared out in ruffles down to the tops of her knees. She wore black converse and with green shoelaces and her nails were painted green. Her hair was in ringlets, a green and white polka dotted bow keeping the hair out of her face, and she wore black eyeliner, black mascara, and green eye shadow.

_Kiba's Dress Diary: _A red polo shirt with gray skinny jeans and red converse. He wore a dark brown tie that matched his eyes nicely, and his hair was unruly but subtle.

_Naruto's Dress Diary: _He wore a light orange polo shirt with black skinny jeans and orange converse. His hair was messy, unkempt, but girls liked it that way (not that he cared.) He also wore-Kami unwilling-black eyeliner.

_Sasuke's Dress Diary: _He wore a dark blue polo shirt with black skinny jeans and black converse. His hair was jelled back, and yet still resembles a duck's ass. He, too, wore eyeliner, Naruto's pleas getting the better of him, and a blue sweatband along his wrist.

_Neji's Dress Diary: _He wore a light green polo shirt with gray skinny jeans and gray converse. His hair was tied back in a low pony tail with strands framing his face, and he wore a green bandana tied around his forehead.

_Lee's Dress Diary: _He wore a tight, dark green tee shirt with black skinny jeans and green converse. His hair was jelled back and spiky and he'd even taken the time to slightly trim his eyebrows. His teeth were shiny as ever and his confidence bright as the sun. He, eagerly wanting to participate in Naruto and Sasuke's ritual, applied black eyeliner. And then the boys, snickering, persuaded him to apply mascara, accentuating his already long and luxurious lashes.

And everyone else… well, who cares?

…

"Eep," I say as I place my hand over Kiba's heart. "I see my father. Can he see me, you think?" I crane my neck and wave eagerly when my father looks my way.

Kiba laughs and takes my hand in his. "We're going to be the highlight of the show," he says.

"Of course we are," I agree while turning away from my smiling dad. Hanabi is sitting beside him, a bored frown on her face. "We're going to rock the house. But not nearly as much as Tenten and her band are,"

"We aren't a real band," Neji says, irritated.

"But we could be," Tenten sings. "If they like us out there then why don't we start a real band?" Neji and Sasuke look unsure but Naruto pumps his fists eagerly.

"Yeah, that would be so awesome!" he shouts in agreement.

Tenten laughs. "Duh, with me on your guys' side we'd be great,"

"We'd better be tonight," Sasuke says. "I don't want you guys embarrassing me," Tenten rolls her eyes.

"Please," she says. "Oh, and Neji," she reaches into her pocket and pulls something out. "Here's a necklace for you. You'll look uber cool," she places the silver chain around his neck and grins. "Fresh,"

We all laugh in unison, even Neji as he pats the top of her head. "Okay guys," someone calls from behind the curtain. "Get ready,"

We hear Iruka's introductions and then the curtain opens and Neji, Naruto, Sasuke, Lee, and Tenten walk out, Tenten doing her rock and roll face, Neji and Sasuke with stoic expressions, and Naruto and Lee with wide, toothy grins.

Naruto took his seat by the drums and picked up the sticks, his tongue peeking out between his closed lips in a concentrated expression. Sasuke took one of the guitars and plugged it into an amp, Tenten following suit while also setting up her microphone. Neji stood by his keyboard, testing the notes, and Lee picked up his trumpet.

"Okay," Tenten says through the microphone. "My name is Tenten, but you can call me Mariella,"

The crowd was quiet.

"Trust me, you'll be calling me that after this song," she says with a wink. "This song is called Mariella, by Kate Nash," Naruto picks up his drum sticks and beat them together. The music starts, low and ominous. And then Tenten begins to sing.

"I'm heavy handed,"

BOOM

"To say the least,"

~Music~

"My mother thinks I'll be an awful clutcher…'Cause I spill things from stirring 'em too quickly…"

~Music~

"I'm far too…LOUD!" The crowd jerks back, earning a smile from Tenten. "It's like as soon as I've got an opinion…it just has to come out. I laugh at stupid things…" she grins even wider. "Just 'cause they tickle me-e-e…and…"

~Piano~

"Sometimes I wish…"

~Piano~

"Sometimes I wish I was like Mariella,"

The music starts to pick up and the crowd's expressions turn from scared to pleased. Some even begin to clap along.

"People used to say she's as quiet as a mouse-she just doesn't make a peep! She marched to her wardrobe and she threw away the color. Because wearing black looks mysterious, but it didn't impress her mother!" Tenten swayed back and forth, playing the guitar as she sang a beautiful, mysterious note.

People start to rise from their seats while hollering as Naruto beats the drums to bloody pulps and Tenten spits out words without once taking a breath. And then she throws her guitar back where someone off stage catches it and she runs around the stage, waving her arms and dancing and singing and laughing.

Guys in the crowd eye her wildly with grins and drool hanging down their chins, but Tenten just wags her finger at them and Neji's fingers begin to race across the keyboard, creating the most beautiful melody ever heard. The crowd cheers, earning an arrogant smirk from the stoic Hyuga.

"Wow," Kiba whispers. "They're good,"

I nod in agreement. "I'd love to join their band. You think they'll let me in?"

Kiba laughs and drapes an arm around my shoulders. "Oh no, you're staying with me,"

"No I'm never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever…" the crowd cheers manically at Tenten's quick speech. "No I'm never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever…Gonna unglue my lips from being together! I said I never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever…No I never, ever…"

"Woah," Sakura breathes from behind me.

"Hey," Guy sensei says. Kiba and I turn around to see him, Sakura, and Ino standing behind us. He has his hands plants firmly on his hips, his bushy eyebrows furrowing together like horny caterpillars. "Ino, that attire looks nothing like Glimmer's!"

"Yeah, but this is so much cuter!" Ino whines.

"Go change into the costume I set out for you," Guy says. "Now,"

"Fine," she groans. "Come on Sakura,"

"-GONNA UNGLUE MY LIPS FROM BEING TOGETHER! HAHAHAHAAAAA,"

The song ends and the crowd goes wild.

"What did I tell you?" Tenten shouts breathily into the microphone. "What's my name?"

"MARIELLA," the crowd shouts.

"WOO HOO," Tenten shouts. "Yeah!"

Neji takes her by the arm just then and plants a kiss right on her lips. The crowd makes "OOH" sounds, and when they part Neji sends the boys in the first row death glare, to which they shrink away from. And then they exit the stage, along with Naruto who's throwing the crowd air kisses, Sasuke who's smiling to himself, and Lee who's grinning wildly.

"Great job," I say while giving Tenten the best bear hug I can muster.

"So," she says with a grin. "You guys still think we're not good enough?"

"Maybe we could try," Sasuke and Neji say in unison. The rest of us laugh just as Iruka calls up Chiaki and Lia.

"There they go," I say.

"My beautiful star," Lee breathes. "Do your best, Chiaki!"

She waves to him from the stage, blows a kiss, and then turns back around. She and Lia begin to sing the duet they've been given, Broken, by Seether. Chiaki has a soft yet powerful voice, one that makes chills run up and down your spine while Lia has a heavier, thicker voice, like Adele.

When they're finished, the crowd cheers and Iruka announces the next pair. Lee gives Chiaki a spin and then sets her down and plants a kiss to her forehead. "You were amazing, my darling," he gushes. Chiaki blushes at the compliment.

"And now, a duet sung by Hinata Hyuga and Kiba Inuzuka. Total Eclipse of the Heart,"

The crowd welcomes us with a cheer as we step onto the stage. Kiba and I had planned everything out, right down to our footsteps. Even if we breathed at the wrong time we'd be floundered. I hope I won't mess this up for us.

The music starts and then Kiba starts to sing. My back is facing him and I'm turned to the right part of the stage, which, apparently people call left stage, which makes no sense to me.

"Turn around," he sings.

"Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round,"

"Turn around,"

"Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears,"

"Turn around,"

He places a hand on my shoulder.

"Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by,"

I place my hand on top of his.

"Turn around,"

He turns me around so that we're facing and then he takes my hand in his.

"Every now and then I get a little bit terrified but then I see the look in your eyes,"

He smiles.

"Turn around, bright eyes,"

"Oh, every now and then I fall apart,"

"Turn around, bright eyes,"

"Every now and then I fall apaaaaaaaart," he raises my hand in the air, right above our heads. "And I need you now tonight. And I need you more than ever," he brings me into his chest, giving me enough room to hold the microphone and not let it sound fuzzy. "And if you'll only hold me tight, then we'll be holding on forever,"

I push away from him and he spins me.

"And we'll only be making it right because we'll never be wrong-together we can make it to the end of the line!"

"Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time," he sings, smooth as chocolate.

"All of the time," I repeat.

"I don't know what to do," he sings. "And I'm always in the dark,"

"We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks!"

Fireworks that we'd had Choji set up went off then, making the audience go, "OOH, AHH,"

"I really need you tonight!" I sing.

"Forever's going to start tonight… Forever's going to start tonight-"

"Once upon a time I was falling in love, and now I'm only falling apart…"

~Music~

"Nothing I can do, a total eclipse of the heart," Kiba sings.

~Music~

"Once upon a time there was light in my life, and now there's only love in the dark," I sing.

"Nothing I can say, a total eclipse of the heart," we sing in unison.

"A total eclipse of the heart!"I sing.

"Turn around bright eyes,"

~Music~

Kiba takes me in his arms.

"Turn around,"

"Ooohhoohh," I sing as Kiba holds me close to him and we rock back and forth. And then right as the music ends he bows down and plants a kiss to my forehead. The crowd goes wild, clapping and hollering and shouting, "KibaHina! KibaHina!"

"KibaHina?" I say as we exit the stage. "Where'd they come up with that?" Kiba shrugs and plants another kiss to my forehead.

"Who cares?" he says. "They loved us. And more importantly, I loved you," he taps my nose, making me giggle.

…

The play that followed hadn't exactly gone as planned. Guy was extremely pissed and even brought to tears at how poorly it had gone.

_Flashback_

"Rou?" Sara said as she leaned over the body of Sakura. "Rou? Please hang in there," tears dripped down her nose and fell onto Sakura's cheeks, causing the makeup on her cheeks to run. Sara's eyes darted back and forth as she discreetly rubbed away the streaks of pink.

"Sing me a song," Sakura croaked while giving Sara a pointed look to knock it the hell off.

"Of course," Sara said. And then she began to sing, something that sounded like a mixture of a fork in a garbage disposal and someone who'd just had their foot run over. Sakura bit her lip to keep herself from laughing, but someone else on the far right of the stage couldn't contain themselves.

Ino began to laugh, a gut clenching laugh that made the audience chuckle as well. Sara shot her a glare, not once stopping in the middle of her song. Sakura's will began dwindle and soon she was giving breathy laughs that she tried to disguise as coughs of death.

Sara finally stopped her song and bent down to kiss Sakura's forehead. Ino's laughing stopped and her eyes narrowed. She'd forgotten about the kissing part. Sara's lips had lingered a moment too long, and Ino's jealousy began to flare.

"That's it," she whispered loudly while stringing her bow.

"No," Ichigo protested as he struggled to keep Ino from shooting the plastic arrow at Sara's heart. "Stop it, Ino," he said loudly. The crowd's gazes turned to them and his eyes widened. "I mean, no, Glimmer! The time isn't right,"

"What?" Guy said worriedly from his place behind the curtain. He began to bite at his fingernails, his caterpillars getting jiggy again.

"No, I must," Ino said through gritted teeth. "I want to win this battle once and for all. Someone needs to put that rat in her place,"

"That wasn't in the script!" Guy whispered loudly. "Or the movie! Or the book!"

"But we had a perfect plan," Ichigo kept on while nervously eyeing the crowd.

"I don't give two heaps of crab cake about the plan," Ino shouted. And then she shot the arrow which, with Ichigo pulling at her arm, missed Sara's heart and instead shot her in the nose.

"Ow," she cried.

Ino, Ichigo, Sakura, and the crowd gasped.

"You little devil!" Sara shouted while racing towards Ino. The blond ran across the stage, jumped off, and then grabbed a poor, helpless teenage boy who fell for the blonde's good looks and was willing to be punched to a pulp for her.

Sara kept hitting the boy in the face as Ino popped her head from either side of the boy's head. Sara, frustrated, threw the boy to the ground and chased after Ino through the crowd, pushing and shoving people out of the way.

And so…

Guy was not happy.

And there came to be a new river at that camp which they named the River of Mighty Sorrows, for Might Guy's sorrows.

And then it dried up the next day and all was back to normal. Except for the hustle and bustle of all of the teens as they prepared for the big dance where all of their summer dreams would come true.

But you'll have to tune in for the next chapter to find out about those dreams and their fulfillments.

**A/N: **So how was that? Not too bad, I hope! Please comment, it would make me feel uber special *_* I hope you all enjoyed that!


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter Twenty Six

**A/N: **FINAL CHAPTER! Jump for joy! LOL XD So once I finish this, I will start on my Bridezillas series and then Avatar: Legend of Naruto. As I work on Avatar, I will be editing Rolling in the Deep, so when I finish Avatar I will start on Into the Inferno. Hope that clears my schedule complications up!

_~Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does_

This was it. The big day. And then after tonight everything will be over and all two hundred of us teenagers will be on buses headed back home. So we had to make this night special and Tenten, Chiaki, Ino, Sakura, and I knew just how.

…

"This is so weird," Chiaki says as she pulls out the rolls of tape.

"I know," Ino says. "Wearing tape as a dress? I could have made three hundred dresses in the time we were here,"

"Ino," Tenten says with a dumbfounded look. "I didn't know you knew how to sew,"

The blond looks at her with horror. "Sewing is, like, my hobby. Other than shopping,"

"Guys," Chiaki says, drawing their attention back towards her. "I wasn't talking about the tape."

"Then what?" Sakura asks while taking a seat cross-legged on the floor beside Ino. She picks up a roll of sparkly pink tape and eyes it with approval.

"I was talking about how all of us got dates for the dance," she says with a light, airy laugh, a laugh that makes you think, _oh, she's princess material. _

"Yeah, that is odd," I say. "I mean, I thought I'd be going to the dance with Tenten," said brunette waggles her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I was sort of hoping, as long as there's grinding involved," she says jokingly.

"Oh, so it's _that_ kind of party," Ino says. 

Everyone laughs and for the rest of the few short minutes we have until our plan is put into action, we're chatting and deciding on which rolls of tape to use for our dresses. After we've picked out the colors-Ino chose turquoise tape that turns blue and green in different lighting. Sakura chose the pink, sparkly tape with black tape as the border. I chose dark purple, velvet tape. Tenten chose red tape that glows in the dark, and Chiaki chose dark green tape that had black polka dots sprinkled throughout-it's time to start on our dresses.

Ino, since she's apparently a sewing genius, takes up the task of designing the dresses. She sketches everyone's dresses on a sheet of paper first, and then sets us to our tasks. We each work on our own separate dresses with Ino's supervision; mostly her nagging us that the tape is crooked or that we've ruined a perfectly good piece of tape.

When we're finished with our dresses, Ino makes some finishing touches which, to the rest of us, makes no difference at all. Then we get ourselves ready, and it's already two o'clock when we're all finished with our showers.

"Can someone straighten my hair?" Chiaki asks. Her eyebrows are scrunched up worriedly and she's trying so desperately to towel dry her hair so that it isn't as unruly as usual.

"You can't straighten it yourself?" Tenten inquires with a quirked eyebrow.

"No. I don't know how. I've never tried," she says.

"Aw," Ino coos. "She'll look so cute with her hair straight! I cannot wait to see it,"

"So you'll do it?" Chiaki says hopefully, her eyes lifting.

"Bitch, please," Ino says. "I have to make myself look good,"

"I'll do it," I sigh. "But I'm going to need Sakura to braid my hair…"

Sakura rolls her eyes dramatically. "Can't you braid it yourself?"

"I can't braid!"

"All of you are hopeless when it comes to fashion!" Ino shouts.

"We know," Tenten shouts back with a laugh. "So, um, can anyone curl my hair so that it looks like Chiaki's?"

Ino groans.

…

When we're finally finished, it's six o'clock.

"That did not just take four hours," Sakura says tiredly.

"It did," Tenten whines. "And my tummy is hungry! We didn't eat all day,"

"Yeah, that could be a problem," Ino says with a laugh.

"So, eat when you get to the dance," Chiaki says with a shrug.

"I don't want to eat in front of Neji," Tenten complains. "He already thinks I'm a pig. If I eat at a formal dance we'd probably kill me,"

"Right," I say. "Well, I'm sure Ino has some secret stash lying around the room," I give her a knowing look, to which she rolls her eyes.

"Forget about the food," she says. "We have to get going,"

…

_Ino's Dress Diary: _She wore a sleeveless, turquoise "dress" that reached mid thigh. A dark blue "belt" was tied around her waist and a matching rose made of tape was attached to the top left corner of her dress. She wore black ballet flats. Her hair was curled and it reached her shoulder blades, her side bangs clipped back with a silver, jeweled clip. She wore blue eye shadow, blue mascara, and black eye liner.

_Sakura's Dress Diary:_ She wore a sparkling, pink "dress" that reached mid thigh and then flared out in ripples. There was one sleeve that snaked around her left arm and left her right arm bare. She, too, had a flower made of tape on her dress, but it was a cherry blossom and it was placed in between her breasts. She wore a pair of pink converse that she borrowed from Tenten and wore black eyeliner, black mascara, and some shimmer dust on her eyelids. Her pixie cut was down with a black headband rested on her head.

_Tenten's Dress Diary: _She wore a red, glow in the dark "dress" that rippled out from her waist down to right above her knees. There were two straps that hung limply across her shoulders, like one of those tee shirts that Tenten loves to wear. She wore black converse with red shoelaces and her hair had been curled to the point where it looked naturally curly, like Chiaki's. Ino, at Tenten's request, had put razor slashes into the back of the "dress" so that you could see glimpses of her bare back. She wore brown eyeliner, black mascara, and a little bit of sparkles at the corners of her eyes.

_Hinata's Dress Diary: _She wore a purple velvet V-neck "dress" that came to mid-thigh and hugged her body, with patches and rips. Beneath the rips and patches was a thin layer of lace. Sakura had separated her hair into two braids and then met them in the back of her head with a bun. In the bun was a chopstick that they'd gotten from the cafeteria and had painted purple with sparkles. She wore black converse and black mascara, black eyeliner, and a little bit of black eye shadow.

_Chiaki's Dress Diary: _She wore a green and black polka dot "dress" that came to her knees. Attached to the sides of her dress were black suspenders which Chiaki had insisted Ino add because Lee was going to be wearing suspenders too, and she wanted to match him. The dress was a strapless V-neck, and it was accompanied by a pair of black flats that Ino had loaned her (Kami knows why Ino has two pairs of black flats.) Her hair was straightened and hanging like a curtain at her shoulders, with a green bow in her hair. She wore black eyeliner and black mascara. 

…

_Naruto's Dress Diary: _He wore a pair of black "pants" that Lee had made (Lee had made all of their clothes since he, apparently, knew how to sew and was thrilled to be represented with a project such as this) with a dark orange "shirt" and black and orange striped "tie." His outfit was accompanied by a pair of black converse that he'd painted with orange glow in the dark paint. He'd also painted his tattoos glow in the dark. His hair, for once, was combed and gelled back, making him look oh so sophisticated.

_Sasuke's Dress Diary: _He wore a white "shirt" with black "pants" and white and black checkered converse. He also wore a black "tie" and his hair was combed and, not bothering to gel it, naturally luscious looking.

_Kiba's Dress Diary: _He wore a red "shirt" with black trimming and black "pants." He also wore red converse and a black "tie." His hair was combed, but natural looking, and, Naruto being the annoying twerp he was, had painted Kiba's tattoos glow in the dark when he was asleep.

_Neji's Dress Diary: _He wore a white cotton shirt, since he was a party pooper and didn't want to participate in the tape dress code, with a black tie and black pants. He also wore black converse and his hair was braided behind his back. He did, though, let Lee attach a red rose made of tape to his shirt.

_Lee's Dress Diary: _He wore a dark green "shirt" with a black "undershirt" and black "tie." His "pants" were also black, along with his "suspenders," and he wore green converse. Naruto had applied mascara to Lee's eyelashes since Chiaki had liked the way it looked the other night, and he had also dipped the edges and top if his head in the glow in the dark paint.

This would be one night to remember…

…

"We look amazing," Sakura says while eyeing us all in the mirror.

"Who would have thought dresses made of tape would look so...stunning," Tenten adds.

"Ahem," Ino coughs.

"And it's all because of Ino," Chiaki and I say in unison, grins on our faces.

"That's right," the supercilious blond says with a smirk. "Now bow to me,"

"I don't think that's possible in these dresses," Tenten states while glancing worriedly down at herself.

"True," I say. "I don't think we'll be able to dance with them being so tight,"

"The point is we look good," Ino says with a frown. "Don't get your hopes up on dancing though,"

"Alright, I think it's time to leave," Sakura says.

"But hold up," Ino says, and grabs Chiaki by the shoulders. "Doesn't Chiaki look absolutely terrific?"

"Yes," we all say in unison.

Ino beams, Chiaki blushing silently beside her.

"Okay, now we go,"

…

When we reach the gym, our eyes widen. The gym hadn't looked nearly as polished or sparkly yesterday as it did right now. But that wasn't the only thing making my eyes bug out, and I'm sure mine were bugging father than the others'. All around the room were flames that danced up and down, hugging and grinding against the wall. A red glow dusted the walls and ceiling, but the floor resembled an ocean floor, when the light hits the water just right and you see ripples of blue and white.

I tug on Tenten's arm and whisper, "Do you see that?"

"What? The decorations?" she asks.

"No, the flames…" and then I point to the floor. "And the water,"

She eyeballs me oddly and then, after a second, laughs awkwardly. "No…" she says, drawing the word out.

"Oh," I scratch the back of my head sheepishly.

"Hey," Ino scolds as she slaps my hand. "You'll mess that up." Sakura looks over and then glares.

"Don't…do it," she says in a low voice.

"Okay," I say, retracting my hand.

"There they are," someone says.

We turn our attention towards the voice, and then as soon as our eyes lock with our dates it's everyone for themselves. Lee and Chiaki race towards each other, Lee's eyes wide with amazement. "Chiaki," he says while twirling her in his arms. "You are wearing matching suspenders! How harmonized we are!"

"Lee," she says with a giggle.

"And your hair!" he runs his hands through the silky curtain, marveling at the sight. "It is as if you have really turned into a star! And your hair is the sky!"

"Lee," she says again, her face burning bright.

"Your eyes," he says suddenly. "They are the stars and your hair is the blanket of night. Your nose can be the big dipper and your lips the moon, for when you smile they shine almost as brightly!"

"Aw," Ino, Sakura, Tenten, and I coo simultaneously.

Chiaki, in total embarrassment, takes Lee's hand and leads him onto the dance floor. Ino and Sakura follow suit, hand in hand, grins on their faces. I think it is that kind of party, for them…

Neji steps towards Tenten, a small smile gracing his lips. He stars down at her with two stunned, milky orbs, and then reaches for the rose attached to his shirt. "Here," he says, and places it in her hair. "It matches you perfectly,"

Tenten grins. "Thanks," and then she frowns. "Why are you wearing regular clothes!" she shouts.

Everyone turns towards them, each and every individual moment of romance ruined, soiled, for everyone. He lets out a breath through his nose. "Those pants look kind of uncomfortable, wouldn't you agree?" he asks.

"Well they'd be off pretty soon, anyways," Tenten says nonchalantly, not even blinking. Neji scrunches up his face.

"Let's dance,"

He takes her hand in one of his while the other reaches up to caress the back of her head, whispering how marvelous she looks as he leads her to the dance floor. Naruto and Sasuke are already gone, have been for a while, and so that only leaves me and Kiba. He walks towards me slowly, painfully, and then when he's right before me he takes my hand in his and places it right on top of his heart.

"Do you feel that?" he whispers. My face turns the shade of puma's fur, from the Lion King.

"Your heartbeat?" I ask. He nods and so do I, unable to speak any more than I already have.

"That's how crazy you make me feel," he whispers. "Especially dressed like that,"

An icy hot shiver runs up and down my spine like a wild roller coaster.

"You look beautiful," he says.

"So do you," His eyebrows furrow and a small, amused smile lights up his face, bringing me out f my trance. I blink. "What? No, I mean, you look nice, too," my eyes fall to my shoes. Kiba's chuckling, his hot breath stroking my forehead. Then Kiba moves his feet so that they're touching mine and he taps his foot.

"You…want to dance?" I ask shyly.

"Nice of you to finally ask," he says with a laugh. "I thought I'd have to be the man,"

"Yeah, what a terrible thought," I say sarcastically, grinning.

"Okay, smart ass, let's get out there before Ino and Sakura scare everyone off the dance floor,"

…

So do you remember that plan that us girls had arranged? Well, it goes like this…

After we'd picked out our colors for our dresses, we'd headed down to the gym. Chiaki bought her camera and we got to work on the tribute. We'd set the water fountain to spray water high in the air at a certain time, midnight, and spray it wide enough to compare to a TV in size. Then we set up a projector in the back with a whole bunch of pictures loaded.

Tonight would be one to remember.

…

The song _Evacuate the Dance Floor by Cascada _was playing and let me tell you, if there was a competition happening, Ino and Sakura were winning. They were dancing like there was no tomorrow, and as if they were pros, too. When the song ended, the two decided to grab a drink. "Hey, Tenten," Ino greets with a toothy smile.

"How's the date?" Sakura inquires as she pours her and Ino a glass to share.

"Fine," Tenten says with a soft smile. "Neji's a great dancer,"

"Well duh, he took ballroom dancing in seventh and eighth grade," Ino says, as if it were the most known thing in the world. 

"Do you know everything about everyone?" Tenten says with a blink.

"Seems that way," Sakura says, chuckling. Ino shoots her a glare before returning to the dance floor with Sakura in tow. Tenten sighs and sets down her glass.

"Bored?" Neji says from behind her.

"What?" she turns around to face him and then shakes her head. "No, it's just that… I'm not really a party person," she shrugs.

"Me neither," Neji says as he leans against the wall beside her.

"Yeah, but you can at least dance,"

Neji smirks. "So you want to leave, if you aren't having fun?"

"We have to stay until midnight," Tenten says.

"Why?"

"Because…it's a surprise," Tenten says with a grin. Neji eyes her unsurely.

"Listen," Neji says. "When we get back home… Do you want to start a band? Like you said, I mean…"

Tenten stares up at him, dumbfounded. "Seriously?" He nods. Her eyes widen and a smile graces her lips, reaching all the way up to her eyes. "Yes," she squeals, and wraps her arms around Neji in a hug. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!"

"Did he just propose?" Naruto asks from behind them.

Tenten turns around, a silly grin adorning her face. "Guess what; we're starting a band!" Sasuke and Neji stand there, mute, as she and Naruto do a little victory dance together. Naruto laughs.

"Then will you propose?" he asks slyly.

Neji hits him upside the head.

…

Kiba and I dance with Kiba's hands placed formally on my hips and my arms snaked around his neck. It's just a shame that neither of us can dance, so instead we're swaying back and forth in a comfortable rhythm. Kiba kisses the top of my head. "I love your hair," he says. "You should wear it up more often, and stop hiding that pretty face,"

"Kiba," I say softly as I glance up to meet his gaze. A baby scream explodes from my lips then, and I'm surprised no one heard it but me and Kiba. His eyes are wide with shock, his hands steadying me.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

"Your…your face," I breathe as I reach a hand up to one of his tattoos.

"Oh," he says with a laugh. "Naruto painted my cheeks with glow in the dark paint." I laugh, too, feeling stupid and embarrassed. "You just gave me a heart attack, and not the good kind," he adds with another laugh.

"Yeah, well, same here," I say. And then my eyes catch the clock on the wall and I curse under my breath. "I have to go," I say.

Kiba glances at the clock, too. "Woah, no one told me you were Cinderella," he says with a smile. "Warn me beforehand so I know that I'll be alone the rest of the night!"

I laugh and kiss his cheek. When I pull away, his eyes are round as plates but I have no time to worry about that.

…

Chiaki and Lee dance, hands clasped together with Chiaki's feet on top of Lee's, since she's a hopeless dancer. "I love your hair," Chiaki says in awe. "It's so much shinier than usual."

Lee laughs. "Well thank you. I put glow in the dark paint in it,"

"Did you, now?" Chiaki says with a laugh. A moment of silence passes and then Lee says:

"You look amazing,"

"You've already said that," Chiaki says with a smile, her eyes closing as she rests her head on Lee's shoulder.

"I know, but I just can't say it enough,"

"Oh, Lee," she whispers.

"Hey," I say. "Sorry to interrupt but…Chiaki, it's midnight,"

The blackette turns to me with an exasperated face, and then pauses. "Nice… lipstick, Hinata," she says. "Where'd you get it?"

"Lipstick?"

I touch my fingers to my lips and look down at my glowing fingertips. "Shit," I say. "Aw man, help me get it off!" Chiaki helps me rub it off with her hand, and I try licking my lips but the taste is too much to bear. Lee stands there awkwardly, watching us with puckered lips. Suddenly Ino, Tenten, and Sakura appear before us.

"We're gonna' be late," Ino says. "Hurry up and…and…what are you two doing?"

"Where's wome haint ow ma wips," I say. The rest of them give me blank expressions. "I haid, where's woe haint ow ma wips!"

"Never mind that," Sakura says, and pulls me and Chiaki with her. When we reach the back of the room to secure the plan, everyone takes their places: Chiaki and I stand before the water fall, Ino and Sakura take the projector and Tenten has the lights.

"Ladies and gents," Chiaki shouts just as Tenten turns off the lights. Everyone turns their attention towards us, and then we hear whispers and faint giggles. Chiaki's biting the inside of her cheek to keep herself form laughing as I wipe the back of my hand over my lips.

"Please bow your heads in prayer as we remember Natsuko and Ohana," I say.

"Nice lipstick!" someone shouts.

"Yeah, like I haven't heard that one before!" I shout back. And then the crowd is silent and everyone bows their heads, Chiaki saying prayers into a microphone.

"And now," I say while liking my lips. "Please enjoy this presentation,"

"Hey," another person shouts. "Take a look at your tongue!"

Everyone begins to laugh as the presentation begins, and Chiaki pulls me aside to inspect my tongue. Pictures flash on the screen, which is really just water. There's a photo of Chiaki and Ohana at band camp three years ago and a photo of them together on a nature trail hike.

Chiai's sobbing quietly beside me, her makeup beginning to smear.

A photo of Natsuko appears, a small puppy in her arms. The one that her father must have killed. And then another appears with Natsuko and Ohana both at a pool party.

People in the crowd have long since forgotten about me and my glowing issues because now they're sobbing too, and laughing at the funny photos. When the clip ends, Tenten turns the lights back on and Ino presses a button. At that moment, balloons drop from the mesh tarp above, balloons with photos of Ohana and Natsuko printed onto them.

Everyone grabs a balloon in memory of their friends and the dance starts back up again. But for the rest of us, the dance has ended. Kiba meets me by the water fountain, a grin on his face. "That was touching," he says. "And don't worry. I beat that kid up,"

I smile. "Aw, thanks," I say.

"Come on. I think I know what'll get rid of that glow," Kiba takes my hand, and somehow I get the feeling that this method involves his tongue.

"I'm tired," Chiaki says as she wipes away the black streaks running down her face. Lee lifts her in his arms and carries her towards the doors.

"Let's go back to my cabin," he suggests.

Ino and Sakura, of course, stay a little longer to compete on the dance floor and Neji and Tenten head back to the cabin for some "alone time."

…

"Thank you, students!" Iruka shouts as he stands on one of the lunch tables. "This summer was fun, even with the…ahem, accidents. But thanks to the girls last night, I'm sure Ohana and Natsuko will always be in our hearts and memories,"

The buses were lined up outside, ready to board the students. "Have a good rest of your summer," Iruka says with a wide grin. "And remember, you don't have much time to choose a career path. Choose something right," his face falls. "And not this job. Trust me, it's not worth it,"

And on that note, we all boarded the buses.

"So you guys are going to start a band?" I ask Tenten.

"Yup," she says with a grin, and then turns to Neji. "But there is that rule about not being able to date your co workers…"

Neji rolls his eyes. "Then what if we aren't dating?" he asks.

"WHAT,"

He chuckles. "I mean…maybe we won't be dating by then."

"Are you saying you're gonna'-"

"I'm saying…maybe we'll be more than dating,"

Tenten's eyes widen. Ino, Sakura, Chiaki, and I begin to laugh as the rest of the guys give Neji sly looks and pats on the back.

"Well, no surprise there," I say. "We all knew it would happen eventually,"

"Hey, Hinata," Tenten says flatly. "Your tongue is still green,"

**A/N: **Yup… Normally I end my stories on a romantic note but… I just wasn't feeling it today. And I'm sorry there was barely any romance in that chapter at all… But hey, I'm done! So yeah, since this is the last chapter, you guys need to comment :D Thanks!


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